


Latent Content

by talienfey



Category: Zero Escape (Video Games)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Psychological, Spoilers, ambidex game, nonary game
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-26
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-01-13 19:27:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 74,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1238173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/talienfey/pseuds/talienfey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>COMPLETE SPOILERS FOR BOTH GAMES! No one was where they expected to be when they woke up--Phi and Sigma were not on their way to the Mars Test Site, Luna was not on Rhizome-9, Dio was not chained to a sink, and Junpei was not in his hotel room, just to start.  Twelve former Nonary Game players find themselves in a strange place where AB Rooms line the Gigantic's upper class lobby, and Japanese classrooms sit next to the Pressure Exchange Chamber. There are symbols on their bracelets instead of numbers, and no rules announced for the game.  Everyone assumed that Akane Kurashiki would have the answers again--but this time, she's only a player herself!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Phi, Sigma

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to my amazing beta reader, Sey (aka Drkurashiki on tumblr!) You are amazing, everything anyone could ever want in a beta! 
> 
> There will be some violence and horror elements in this, but if you played 999 without issues, you should be fine here (no "macabre crab" I promise.) As for romantic pairings... I prefer to not explicitly state things before the story (and maybe scare people off lol) but let you interpret things as you will. I want to put as much focus on familial relationships, enemies, and friendships as romance. I won't be straying too far away from canon, though. 
> 
> I also hope you enjoy terrible humor, but then again, don't all ZE fans? :3
> 
> Thank you again for reading, so, so much! I hope you enjoy. If you leave feedback I literally roll around on the floor with happiness.
> 
> (Pssst also I don't know Latin so if the phrasing is wrong blame Google, and then me for trusting a site that used Comic Sans. WHOOPS)

  


_10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2…_  
  


“Uggh…”  
  
Phi winced as she woke up. Her thin shoulders shifted under the fine fabric of her sleeveless vest as she sat up, pushing away from the cold, unyielding floor. She groaned, opening her eyes and rubbing the back of her head. “Where… am….” she began to ask out loud, pressing a hand to her forehead. There was a dull throbbing behind her eyes, and her vision seemed blurred for a moment.  
  
The question fell silent, incomplete, as her sight cleared and her eyes opened fully. They widened with shock as she recognized the surroundings.   
  
“No…. no  _fucking_  way….” she breathed through a hand pressed to her mouth.  
  
Silver metal walls surrounded her. The one in front of her had a split that looked like large elevator doors, complete with buttons beside it. The two sides had bars about halfway up across them and a set of buttons underneath. Directly beside her was a large machine.   
  
And on the other side of the room, slumped over on his side, was a man in a blue jumpsuit. She couldn’t see his face behind the machinery between them, but she already knew who he was.

“Sigma,” she whispered, wincing as she pulled herself to her feet, using the bar along the right wall for support. The headache responded to the motion, temporarily intensifying. She took another deep breath as she looked around the tiny room. There was no mistaking it. She was in an Ambidex room, the one she always woke up in with Sigma, after every failed attempt to save the world from the devastation of Radical-6. She looked down, her heart pounding faster. Her breathing hitched as she spotted a bracelet, similar to a watch, firmly gripping her wrist like a restraint. Like usual.  
  
“There’s no way,” she said numbly, leaning against the wall and sliding back down to a sitting position. She lifted her wrist to stare at the bracelet, as if willing it to make sense to her. “We…. we solved it. We weren’t supposed to jump back here….”

She stopped, pulling the bracelet up to examine it closer. There was something different about it. Instead of a number, a yellow arrow with a line slashed halfway through it was glowing on the face. She gave the bracelet an experimental tug, but it was firmly sealed around her wrist. 

“The fuck is going on?” she yelled abruptly, slamming her hand against the wall. “I’m tired of being toyed with!”

The man on the floor suddenly let out a low moan, followed by a cough. Phi pressed a hand to her mouth, feeling slightly guilty and embarrassed at her outburst. Her self-control was usually much better than  _that_. She flinched and closed her eyes tightly as her head pulsed again. _This stupid migraine...._

She heard rustling as the man rolled over onto his back, then sat up. “Damn,” he murmured roughly, coughing again and clearing his throat. “Guess this isn’t the girl’s swim club locker room… must’ve been a dream…” He pressed a hand to his face. “I feel like I’m having the world’s worst hangover…”   
  
Phi frowned at the man’s shaggy black hair, leaning forward to try and get a look at his face. “It’s not Sigma…. Kyle?” she said, addressing him. The worn face of Dr. Klim was not the one that looked back at her, but one of a much younger man—it was definitely Kyle. “Kyle, what are you doing here?”  
  
He lowered his hand as he blinked, revealing intense green eyes.  He shook his head, then blinked again rapidly, as if trying to wake out of an intense dream. He looked back at her, running a hand through his hair. “Phi? Why’re you calling me Kyle?”   
  
“Sigma?” she gasped. He had said that he’d looked identical to Kyle when he was young, but it was still a surprise to see the man she knew as the ancient Dr. Klim moving around and speaking to her in a young, fit body. He didn’t respond to the questioning undertone in her voice, rubbing his arms and stretching as he looked around.  
  
His head tilted as he took in the entirety of their surroundings. “Phi, why the fuck are we back here? Did I fuck up last minute so we have to do this all over again or…” He groaned again, pressing his hand against his forehead. “Shit, what the hell was I drinking?”  
  
“That’s what -I’d- like to know,” she growled, tightening her fists. Her shoulders rose and fell with her heavy breathing. Each breath was timed in between the throbbing in her skull.

Sigma raised an eyebrow. “What I was drinking? It’s just a figure of speech, Phi, I swear I didn’t sneak anything from the lounge—” 

“That’s not what I meant!” she snapped, slamming her hand into the floor. Her headache dimmed slightly as pure anger ran through her veins. She pulled herself up again and began to pace as she spoke. “We beat this. We had one more jump to make, just one more—”   
  
She stopped, staring at Sigma. Although he looked identical to Kyle, there was something about him that was completely different, to the point where she was unsure how she’d mistaken the two. Kyle had an innocent expression about him, but Sigma had a kind of wry cockiness. “And you’re… YOUNG. A lot younger.” She frowned. “Are your arms real?”  
  
“You remember everything? The Nonary Game, Radical-6, all of that?” he said, his eyes widening in surprise. Phi nodded firmly, then paused.  
  
“Maybe not EVERYTHING.” Her frown deepened as she stopped by the buttons on the front wall. “I won’t know what I don’t remember if I don’t remember it, obviously.” She paused, tapping her chin with a slender finger. “There was a safe under that machine, with the way out inside.”  
  
Sigma leaned over to peer under it. “Yeah, nothing there… “ He wrinkled his forehead for a moment. “Well… I  _think_   I remember everything up to this point, too, but it’s hard to say. We’ve been through a lot and there’s a lot to remember, and maybe even stuff that our bodies remember, that we don’t yet know.” He flexed his arms and ran his hands over his face. “They feel real enough. Do I have both eyes?”   

She nodded, and he sighed again. “Then all we know is that this is before the test site, but after the moon.” He closed his eyes tightly and shook his head. “Ugh, there’s too much timey-wimey crap going on, I’m starting to confuse myself. My head’s feeling pretty awful , too.”    
  
He lurched to his feet, putting his hands together and stretching. His knuckles cracked. “Us being here and not at the site doesn’t really make any sense… Did we take a detour or something?  Stop for snacks?”  
  
Phi shrugged silently, crossing her arms as she thought. Sigma walked alongside the wall, shaking his limbs into full alertness. “I think the posters have changed, too. Didn’t this one used to be some babies and old people?” He pointed at the image, which was a drawing of the night sky. The artistic interpretations of various constellations were lightly traced over their respective stars. He glanced down at his wrist. “Seems like my bracelet’s changed, as well.”  
  
“Hmm,” Phi said, walking over to the poster. She ran her hand over it lightly . “These are the constellations of the zodiac.” She held up her wrist. “I guess this time we’re going for an astrology theme. I guess I’m Sagittarius, which one are you?”  
  
Sigma stared at her blankly, then looked down at his wrist. “Um, I’m… some kinda squiggly spermy thing? Maybe it’s supposed to be a lady with an updo—is that on the poster?”

Phi grabbed his wrist and pulled it down to her level, then shoved it away. “You idiot, that’s Leo. Are you REALLY going to be the genius Dr. Klim someday?”  
  
“What? I don’t know who Leo is. Is this his signature or something?” He frowned at his bracelet.   
  
“Leo is a  _constellation_ , not a  _person_. It’s the lion.” She pointed at the poster. “See?” He shrugged.  
  
“I don’t see the resemblance. It just looks like white dots with lines traced between them, in a big circle. Is this some kind of minimalist art, or—” Phi’s forehead twitched.  
  
“These are SYMBOLS representing the constellations. They aren’t supposed to be accurate visual representations of what’s really in the sky.” She gave him a disgusted look. “Are you telling me this is all completely new to you? Seriously, you’ve never read your horoscope?”

“My Horror’s Code?” He shrugged. “Um, can’t say I have. I mean, I prefer action stories and—” She punched his arm, hard. “Hey!”

“Oh, never mind. I’m sure we’ll get into it later.” Her face tightened even more as she marched back over to the doors. She glared at the buttons. “Since we’re starting out in an AB room with numbered bracelets—well, not actually  _numbers_ —I’ll hazard an educated guess that we’re in another game—whether we should be or not. And that means…” she reached up and ran her hand over the glass panel above the buttons. “There’s still a screen here, so where’s that FUCKING rodent?” 

“Good point—he should’ve shown up to tell us the puzzle basics by now.” Sigma crossed his arms, running his hands over his biceps. He kept moving them, she noticed, almost as if he was afraid that they weren’t real, or were going to be torn off him at any minute. She hid a sympathetic expression. _It can’t be easy to head towards a future where your body is going to be mutilated_.

She pushed one button, then all of them without any particular order as nothing happened. “Zero Junior? Zero Junior, I know you’re out there!”  
  
The response was only silence. Her eyes narrowed and she continued to push buttons, more and more violently. “ZERO. Get your FUCKING ass over here and answer me, you goddamn piece— “  
  
“Whoa, calm down!” Sigma said, hurrying up behind her. “Shi—oops,” he said as he staggered slightly and reached his arm out over her to steady himself on the wall. “Damn girl, did you get shorter as well as angrier in the last jump?”  
  
“Shut up,” she said without turning around, continuing to punch the buttons. It irritated her how he'd noticed the extreme difference to her normal mood. _I've never let my emotions show before, now is not a good time to start._ She closed her eyes again as she continued to push _._

She had never felt frustration like this before, coupled with a deepening panic. _If I'm stuck in this same 72 hour loop over and over for all of eternity, without even death to bring me peace--_ A stabbing pain ran through her closed eye. She thought back to some Latin phrases as she poked the same button over and over. _I can control this_ . C ompesce mentem. Compos sui _. Control my temper. I am the master of myself. Compesce mentem, compos sui..._  
  
“You know that’s no good,” Sigma said, pushing himself back upright. She tried to ignore his voice, breaking her from the calming repetitions in her mind. He was oblivious again. He massaged his forehead and grimaced. “Sure isn’t helping this headache any. And I mean, if we’re where we think we are—”  
  
“Where the FUCK ELSE would we be?” Phi snapped, spinning around. He stepped back, startled by the intensity of her anger. “It’s pretty damn obvious we failed somewhere, and for all you know we could be trapped in an   _endless_   loop of this same   _goddamn_   shi—”  
  
“Ah. AhEM! Please, watch your language! Swearing isn’t   _paw-lite_ !”  
  
A familiar voice spoke from the speaker behind her. A strange white rabbit with bright floral patterns on its face appeared on the screen above. It was dressed in what looked like Oriental-styled pajamas, and was using a yawning animation. Phi spun around again, losing her balance and falling into Sigma. They fell ungracefully to the floor, his head smacking against the metal bar on the way down. The rabbit switched to a flinching animation. “Oh my, that looked   _harey_   painful!”  
  
“Zero Junior,” she growled, untangling from Sigma and lifting herself into a sitting position with one hand. She winced as her other hand touched the small bump on the back of her head. _Well, at least there's a physical reason for my head to hurt now_ .  
  
“You asshole, get me Kurashiki RIGHT NOW.” She stumbled back to her feet, Sigma following as he rubbed his head. She braced herself in front of the screen, her hands forming into tight fists. “Don’t give me that ‘ _oh, who is that?_ ' crap or anything, we know what's going on—”

The bunny interrupted, lifting its paws out and rolling its eyes up innocently. “I  _carrot_  understand what you’re talking about! And you woke me up from a sound sleep, too, and haven’t even let me introduce myself!  _Un-fur-giveable_ !”

“We know who you are,” Sigma said, stepping directly behind her and crossing his arms again. He looked much more imposing as a young man when he dropped the jokes, Phi thought briefly as she glanced at him, very muscular—he did seem taller, but she chalked that up to him having an entire head of hair. Despite his youth and somewhat idiotic behavior, his eyes still shone with that glint of intelligence she’d seen when she met him as the fully conscious Dr. Klim. He continued. “Now I’m aware that I don’t know everything Zero has planned—not yet, at least—but there’s a lot of discrepancies right now that I’d like you to address. First off, are we here to play another AB game, or is this some kind of mistake, or experiment—”  
  
“A Bunny Game?“ The rabbit said, tilting its head to the side. It pressed a paw to its forehead, affecting a shocked expression. “I’m the only bunny hare, and I’m not an experiment OR a game! Animal testing is cruel!”  
  
“What the hell are you even talking about? Stop playing dumb!” Phi exploded, throwing her fists to her sides. Sigma rolled his eyes as he placed a hand on her shoulder.  
  
“Calm down. Let me try another way to talk to him.” Phi shrugged his hand off angrily and stomped over to the other side of the tiny room. She was startled again at just how livid she felt.  _This isn’t like me_. _Could it have to do with this incessant headache_? She crossed her arms as she leaned against the wall, watching Sigma through narrowed eyes. He seemed unusually confident. 

Sigma leaned in towards the screen. “Okay, let me see if I can speak a language you understand.” He took a deep breath. Phi found her jaw dropping in horror as his entire pose and demeanor changed.  
  
“He—llooo,  _nya~o_!  _Cat_  you tell us  _ameowt_  what’s  _happurr_ -ning?” he said, sticking his butt out and pulling up a hand in the “lucky cat” pose. He was grinning like an idiot. Phi slapped her face with her palm. He’d clearly lost his mind somewhere on one of the jumps. She turned to the wall with a groan, leaning her forehead against it. This wasn’t something she really wanted to watch.  
  
“You sure have a  _bunny_  accent, mister!” the hologram replied, rocking back and forth as if it were laughing. It straightened. “But of COURSE I’ll be telling you all about what’s going on! I’d be a terrible guide if I didn’t!” It stopped, crossing its arms. “But  _fur-st_ , you need to let me introduce myself!”

“ _Purr-ease_  do,” Sigma said, still making the goofy cat pose. He pawed at the air lightly and batted his eyelashes. Phi put both her hands over her face in an attempt to hide even more from the disgusting scene.

“I am Zero the Third and a Half! I’m the ruler of this place! And welcome to…. drumroll please—-the Nonary Game!” the bunny announced cheerfully. _Again?_ Phi’s hands balled up again.  
  
“What the  _hell_  is with this ‘half’ business, you mangy—” she said as she started forward. Sigma silenced her with an impatient, out-of-character wave behind his back. The rabbit continued, ignoring Phi.  
  
“Now, you may have found yourselves in a  _bunny_ -dle of trouble! In order to escape this room, you need to solve the puzzle surrounding you,  _hare_ -y fast!” It gave the screen a side eye glance. “And if you don’t solve it in the time limit—”  
  
“We already know this,” Sigma cut off, dropping the cat accent and standing back upright with crossed arms. “We  _know_  about the AB Game, and we know that we have to solve puzzles to get out. And we also know that this isn’t really an elevator and it isn’t really going to fall. This—”  
  
“ _Are you sure?_ ”  
  
The interrupting question was short, but something about Zero Jr.’s tone silenced Sigma immediately.

He stepped back, swallowing as he searched for words. A shiver ran through Phi. The bunny’s gaze intensified as it peered at each of them in turn, the screen giving a fish-eye effect until its eye was almost all they could see.  
  
“Are you  _hare_ -y sure you’ve been  _hare_  before?” it asked, its nose giving a single wiggle. It didn’t blink. Sigma stiffened, his eyes darting nervously around the room.  
  
“It looks almost exactly the same as every other time we’ve woken up,” Phi said, her voice wavering slightly, betraying her uneasiness. “The posters have changed and there’s no safe, but the room itself isn’t different…” She swallowed once, hard, wondering where this bone-chilling dread had come from.  _Get it together_ , she scolded herself.  _What the hell’s wrong with you?_  
  
Sigma’s eyebrows drew together, and he adjusted his stance back to a firm one. “Okay, Zero—”

“Call me   _Usa-chan_ !” the bunny squeaked, the terrifying severity completely gone from its appearance and voice. It hopped from one foot to the other. “Isn’t   _hare_   anything else you’ve noticed?”  
  
Phi glanced at Sigma, who met her eyes and shook his head with a shrug. “Just the lack of safe and the different poster. I mean, the rest of the room’s a lot emptier than before.” He scrunched his eyes shut, resting his chin on his hand as he searched his memory. “I can’t really think of anything.”  
  
The bunny laughed. “It’s right under your nose! But you haven’t   _nose_ -ticed it yet?”  
  
“That wasn’t even a rabbit pun,” Phi snapped. She flexed her hand, having trouble unballing it from a fist. She stopped suddenly, remembering the bracelet. She pulled her wrist up to her face again. “Hey, Sigma.”  
  
He peeked over her shoulder—well,   _all_   of her, Phi thought reluctantly. He really was a lot taller. She held up her wrist and addressed the rabbit. “These. Our bracelets are different; they’re Zodiac symbols, not numbers. Is that a hint?”  
  
The rabbit shrugged. “I dunno. Saying that might be a bit too…  _telling_ .” Its ears twitched as it peeked from its closed eyes, then shut them again quickly. _That is definitely a clue_ , Phi thought, calming somewhat as she gained a bit of control over the situation.   She glanced up to Sigma’s eyes and exchanged an almost imperceptible nod with him . There was one thing she could absolutely say about him —he was a reliable partner that she could not only trust, but that could hold his own in solving puzzles rather than depending entirely on her.   She addressed the rabbit again. “Are there any other rules we need to know?”

“I’m so _hoppy_  you asked!” Zero Jr. did a small dance before continuing. “Now, you are in an elevator suspended over a fifty meter drop! Unfortunately, there’s no safety cables, and it’s getting   _rabbit_   to fall all the way to the _hare_ -y bottom!”  
  
He leaned in, dropping the voice to a whisper, as though he was sharing a secret. “But, you know, _hare_ is always a way out! Now, if you need any hints—”  
  
“Tell us whatever you can,” Phi interrupted. “Anything at all, anything we need to know—”  
  
“—too bad!” The bunny assumed the innocent position again. “I’m not going to _tail_ you anything else! I’m going back to bed!”  
  
“Wait,” Sigma said, holding out his hand as he stepped forward, his other hand pushing Phi back from lunging at the screen. “We still don’t know where we are or—”  
  
“Time’s hopping right along!” the bunny sang, beginning a bouncing animation. “You better get a move on, or else… ” He fell over, sprawling himself out. “ _Splat_!”

“Shit,” Sigma cursed. He glared at the screen. “Thanks for nothing.”  
  
“I’ve given you plenty!” the rabbit replied, indignant. “As a matter of fact, I’ll even let you know that you _hare_  got just ten minutes left!” It preened itself, then waved. “Have a nice trip—see you in the fall!”

 The screen went dark, leaving Phi and Sigma alone in the room. He let out a deep sigh and stretched out again as she leaned against the wall, focusing on breathing slowly. _Compesce mentem, compos sui. Compesce mentem, compos sui._ The pain seemed to dull slightly as she forced herself to relax, repeating the phrases over and over. 

She looked up to see Sigma watching her, not saying anything. He was back to being intuitive, a trait that seemed to get lost sometimes under the more carefree attitude of his youth. She took one final, long breath and caught his eye as she let it out. She nodded once. He returned the gesture, and then they began to search.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went to fix the formatting and it deleted my notes! argh! Any mistakes are my own--much thanks to my beta, Sey, who is seriously the most amazing beta ever in the history of ever.


	2. Luna

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Well, the Nonary Game is over,” she said aloud, “so this door should open effortlessly, right?”

The first thing she became aware of was that she was alone.

Normally her world was filled with things that humans couldn’t quite comprehend; a machine’s way of thinking was too different, too based on math and logic rather than nature and chance. A GAULEM was directly connected to many others, able to access infinite amounts of information from more than the sole viewpoint organic beings had. Rhizome-9 was filled with many other GAULEMs, as well as recording devices, and a massive computer with more knowledge stored than even her mechanical brain could process. Even though the dome felt empty to most human visitors, to the machines inside, it was always buzzing with activity. __  
  
Right now, though, Luna couldn’t hear any of it.  
  
She opened her eyes. The feeling was strange; somehow, as if it were the first time she’d ever opened them before. The world snapped into focus in front of her—four steel walls enclosing her, a large machine beside her—an Ambidex room. She inhaled sharply—a human trait programmed into her—it also felt strange.  
  
 _Am I malfunctioning?_   She thought to herself, attempting to run a diagnostic. Her mind blanked a moment, but nothing else happened, no rush of information, nothing that remotely resembled the way she normally thought. She gasped as a thought hit her. What if the main computer had crashed? Was the rest of the Rhizome okay? Her family—Ms. Kurashiki—Kyle— Doctor Klim—were they safe? Not to mention the Nonary players that had stayed after the game had finished…

She bit her lip, wrapping her arms around herself and shivering. The actions felt effortless, like that tiny program to make her appear as human as possible was no longer controlling her actions.  _Stop fretting,_   she scolded herself. For a machine, she certainly spent a lot of time doing what humans did , like worrying over things she had no control over. She needed to tend to a more important task—figuring out why, exactly, she was in an Ambidex Room and cut off from the rest of the Rhizome in the first place.

She stood up from the floor, carefully straightening out her skirts. Her hand reached up and confirmed that her birdcage necklace was still secure, then she turned her attention to the room.

She’d been in an Ambidex Room—well, a few different ones—before, when she was pretending to play the Nonary Game at Ms. Kurashiki’s and Dr. Klim’s orders. This one was a bit different, though—while the others had posters and various strange items lying around as clues to various puzzles, this room was plain. The only things that were identical were the Ambidex console in the middle and the buttons beside the elevator-like doors. But most notably, a phrase was scrawled in bright blue paint across those doors.

She mouthed the words as she read them again, slowly, trying to comprehend them.

_"Find your bluebird."_

 Her hand clutched at her necklace. Was this referring to Maeterlinck's bluebird? It didn’t seem to be an anagram, but she was having a hard time picking apart the letters to put them into other words. She pressed a hand against her forehead. Her head…. hurt. It was a strange feeling. Her ABT was able to feel sensations that were converted into human reactions, but her mind itself was fully machine. There was nothing there  _to_   hurt.   _I_ must _be malfunctioning,_   she thought again.   _I need to get to the GAULEM Bay…._

She looked at the text again, trying to ignore the pounding sensation. “Well, the Nonary Game is over,” she said aloud, “so this door should open effortlessly, right?”  
  
She walked up to the door and pushed a button on the panel beside it. It slid open easily. She let out a satisfied breath with a nod and stepped out… into a room she didn’t recognize.

 It was a large room, windowless like the warehouse, although the ceiling wasn’t nearly as high. Rather than the spartan insides of the Rhizome’s top floor, this room was opulent, with tiled marble floors gliding from ornate wood paneled walls. In front of her, instead of chromatic doors, there were four large wooden doors with a strange device just above waist height on their left sides. Behind her, however, the Ambidex room doors looked the same as ever, except that they were interspersed between more finely carved wood. To her left was a massive wooden staircase, with a large clock on the first landing. To her right was what looked to be metal bolted over evenly spaced windows.

Luna bit her lip and raised a hand to hold the necklace resting against her chest. She went to close her other hand around her wrist when she stopped, stunned.  
She was wearing a bracelet. A very specific kind, locked onto her wrist firmly, with a light up display. However, instead of a number, it had a symbol. 

Luna frowned.  She couldn’t access the library to interpret it, although it looked familiar to her. A Zodiac symbol? Maybe Pisces? She couldn’t be certain. Although she enjoyed Earth’s folklore, she could hardly call it a specialty of hers, or one that she felt was important enough to store in her personal memory banks.

Luna looked back up at the wooden doors. There was a symbol above each door except one. Two were easy to interpret—a zig-zag line to represent waves, a simplified flame, and a circle bisected horizontally and vertically. Water, fire, and… it was a planetary symbol. But which one…?  
  
She felt her frown deepen as she stared at it. Luna knew exactly what part of the library the information was stored in, but it was as though the library itself didn’t exist. She tried to calm her racing thoughts, but the fear was getting worse.  Nothing was making sense, it was as if things she’d experienced and things she’d learned about were colliding into one strange world, a world that couldn’t possibly exist.  
  
A metal groaning rang out behind her, interrupting her thoughts. She turned, gripping her necklace tightly. Another Ambidex door was opening. She bit her lip nervously as she watched the doors slowly separate.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to Sey for betaing ILU FOR SRS
> 
> Luna is my bae. I love her so much.


	3. Dio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Are you sure?"

He had a  _fuck_   of a headache.

Even as Left-- _no, I'm Dio right now_ \--woke up and became aware of the cold, hard floor he was awkwardly lying on, the pain in his head was all he could truly feel. He took a breath, saying a short prayer to Brother before forcing his eyes open. His vision swam and he slammed his eyes shut again, waiting for the wave of nausea to pass. He focused on deep breathing for a moment, and the pain slowly faded to a dull, constant throbbing. He opened his eyes again, slowly.    
  
Dio looked around the room, wincing a little in the bright light. Metal walls, a large machine, and a door with a messy phrase he didn’t quite feel up to reading that moment scrawled on it lay in front of him. It was an Ambidex room.

“What the fuck?” He knew that Brother frowned on cursing, but he figured he’d get away with it while he was acting as "Dio." And even if there was no one else to see the show, he would stay in character until he was back amongst his fellow Myrmidons. He frowned, unable to remember when exactly he’d passed out. Had he been hit? Choked out?

His brow furrowed, and he rubbed his forehead as he thought. He felt like… he’d done this before. Like he knew what an Ambidex room was, beyond his basic briefing. Hadn’t he…. already done this?

The young man stood up slowly, swaying slightly and catching himself on the bar stretching across the left wall for support. Hadn’t there been a kid in the room, last time he’d gone in?   
  
 _Wait, why would there have been a last time?_   
  
Maybe they’d locked him in here, maybe he’d been caught already.  

His head pounded. He closed his eyes and massaged his temples. Conflicting memories arose in him. He’d been handcuffed to a sink, they had caught him—no, he’d gotten out—he’d been stabbed?  _What the fuck_ , he thought again,   _not all of these memories can be right. So which one’s real?_  
  
“Fuck,” Dio said, then louder, “ _Fuck_.” He had to have been dreaming. He couldn’t have failed and succeeded at the same time. Or maybe he had been drugged, some psychedelic drug to rip through his brain and force him to confess to everything he’d ever even  _thought_  about doing. _Though I never thought about getting my ass stabbed by some freak in a metal suit. Or suffocating in some coffin. Or failure, of any kind_. This was far too important to fail. He had refused to even imagine it.

He noticed his hat on the floor next to where he’d been lying, and hurriedly snatched it up. His narrowed blue eyes peered inside.  _Shit. Trigger’s gone… but I… I had it… I used it? That can’t be…_

 _The bombs_ , he thought suddenly. He rustled through his coat’s pockets. The bombs weren’t in his hat, and they weren’t in his pockets, either. Maybe he’d set them already? He remembered setting them. He remembered setting them multiple times, in fact, which made no sense. He remembered them blowing up and also being deactivated. He remembered succeeding and also failing.

But he couldn’t remember how he’d gotten into this room. Dio's head pulsated harder, and he clutched his stomach a moment as he fought the nausea rising up in his throat. It passed, but the headache remained, just as bad.  
  
As he removed his hand from his abdomen he frowned. There was a bracelet of some sort around his wrist, but he couldn’t remember putting it on.   _I took it from that woman, right?_ He frowned. There was a symbol on it instead of numbers—they couldn’t have gotten that part wrong in the intelligence, could they? That was a pretty big difference if they were using a unique system to determine points in this game. He squinted at it, as if it could come more into focus. Shit, it was some kind of planetary thing? Maybe?

He stood up straight, fighting off the pain _. Can’t waste time feeling sorry for myself. I had to have been drugged. There’s no way a Myrmidon body would fail like this out of the blue_. He turned his attention towards the doors, and saw the phrase brushed across them, sloppily, but still clear. Three red words, dripping like blood had been splattered for each letter.

 

_Are you sure?_

 

Dio's eyes ran over the letters several times, before he said it out loud. “Am I sure?” He snorted. “The fuck’s that supposed to mean?” He crossed his arms and frowned at it. Of course he was _sure_ of a lot of things—Brother’s plan, his own place in it in particular. His need for redemption. The only things he wasn’t sure were his memories of the last twenty four hours—at least. He remembered arriving on the moon, but then….

_Are you sure?_

The words seemed to mock him. His frown deepened angrily. “Fuck you,” he said to no one in particular.

Dio walked to the crack of the door and gouged his fingers into it, trying to pull it open. He was surprised when it reluctantly began to grind and then eased the rest of the way open. It seemed he wasn’t a prisoner. He began to plan as he waited for the doors to open fully.  _First, I’ll pretend that I just woke up and have no idea why I’m here, like last—_ last time? _No, just like we’d_ planned _. Then, I’ll discreetly check on the bomb sites. If they’re not there, then I hunt down the other players and—_  
  
His planning died off quickly as he stepped out into what should have been the warehouse.  
  
An elaborate room, the kind Brother would have scoffed at for being foolishly extravagant, surrounded him. He scanned the entire area quickly, noting absolutely nothing familiar about it—except for the small, human shape in the middle. He’d startled her, he could tell that she’d just spun around to stare at the opening door.

“Luna,” he said to himself.  _How did I know that?_    
  
Wait… She was working with that bitch he’d killed—or had he really killed her? Somehow, he could remember Luna, at least, clearly. She’d kept him drugged, when they’d chained him up and—  _no, that hadn’t happened_. He’d just left the Ambidex room, exactly as he’d left it before— _and then again and again and again_ —

“Fuck,” he said again, stumbling as the pain in his head overtook him. He tripped slightly and fell to his knees, clutching his head. “Damnit,” he groaned.

“Ah—” the woman cried _—I_ _couldn’t_ _have seen her before, there’s no way I could know her name, she’s just one of those players—_ , and he heard her footsteps as she ran over to his side. She pulled up short and looked down at him with clear blue eyes, her forehead creased with a worried expression. He closed his eyes tightly, waiting for the prick of the needle between throbs of his head and the nausea that kept sliding around in his stomach.  _Wait, why would she drug me if this is the first time we’ve met?_  
  
She seemed to hesitate, twisting her hands nervously. “Um, are you…. ah…. “ She stopped suddenly, as if she’d realized she had no idea what she was going to say. His legs took that moment to give out completely, and he sprawled to the floor, smacking his head painfully.   
  
She dropped to her knees beside him. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly. Getting knocked out with Soporil actually didn’t seem like such a bad idea, compared to this pain.  _But that would mean failure—_ He rolled over to look her in the face.

“Gonna kick a man while he’s down, huh?” he growled, trying to bait her into action.  _For fuck’s sakes, just give me the goddamn drug already. That’s what happens. I don’t know how but that’s what happens._  He was biting the inside of his lip to distract himself from the pain as he glared up at her face. He was startled to find it much closer and realized she was leaning over him, her expression changed to one of determination.

“Stay with me,” she instructed. “Are you hurt anywhere?” Her eyes searched over his face, looking for obvious wounds.  
  
“Huh?” he managed to croak out, his eyes beginning to flutter. He’d never known this much pain before, not even when he’d…  _died? No, that was impossible, he was going to live forever in Brother’s paradise—_  His thoughts began to blur together.  
  
“Are you hurt anywhere?” she repeated firmly.  _Damnit, she’s here to torture me_. He shook his head and ground his teeth as the motion seemed to slam wrecking balls into either side of his head. He shut his eyes again tightly.  
  
“No… head’s just… killing me…” he managed to get out.  _Why am I even answering this bitch’s questions? Wait, I just got here—I think? No, I DID—she can’t know who I am, gotta play nice._  
  
“Okay,” she said. “I know it hurts, but I need to make sure you’re alright. I’m going to ask you a few questions, and then we’ll do some simple exercises. Okay?”  
  
He groaned in response. It felt hard to respond. He felt her fingers touch his neck. He attempted to flinch away in a panic, but she moved with him.  _Shit—I can’t be touched, not by another impure—_  
  
“Please don’t worry,” she said soothingly, “I’m just checking your heart rate. I can’t measure it exactly without a watch, but it’s definitely very elevated.” Her cool hand left his neck and he felt it touching his forehead.  _No—don’t fucking TOUCH me—_  
  
“You don’t seem feverish. Can you move your fingers and toes?”

If he just obeyed her for now, maybe this would end faster. He nodded shortly, wanting to vomit. “Okay, this part is going to be a little painful, but I need you to open your eyes and look at me.”  
  
Ugh…   _okay okay okay_ , she kept saying that word.  _Goddamnit_ . Dio mustered up every ounce of strength he had and opened his eyes. She was holding her index finger out in front of him, and he struggled to focus on it.  
  
“Please touch my finger with your left index finger, and then touch your nose.”   _Is this some kind of fucking game?_    
  
As if she’d heard his question, she smiled in a reassuring manner. “It’s a neurological test to make sure you’re not having any difficulties. Don’t worry—it’s okay if you can’t.”  
  
 _The fuck I can’t do something so easy._ He felt like an idiot underneath the layer of pain as he lifted his arm and reached out, gingerly brushing against her finger, touching his nose, and then dropping it to his side.   _I… I touched someone. I haven’t done that—not since her—_  
  
“Now the other hand,” she instructed. He let out a deep breath and repeated the gesture. “Good. Please smile and show me all your teeth.”  
  
 _This has to be a joke. They have to be mocking me_ . He gave her the cruelest grin he could manage, surprised when she nodded, seeming satisfied. “Okay, one last thing. Do you know the Roman alphabet?”

 _I guess all these questions will be bizarre_ . He nodded, clenching his teeth at the increased pounding.  
  
“Good. Please recite it backwards.”

 _They’re mocking me. They_ have _to be mocking me._   What kind of a joke was this, sending some cute girl to fuck with his brain like this? She smiled gently again. “I know, it seems odd, but please, humor me? I want to make sure your memory and reason are functioning correctly.”  
  
 _Fuck it, fine. Let them laugh_ . It’d take more than that to break a Myrmidon. “Z, Y, X, W—”  
  
“Good, you can stop. One last thing. Does my hand seem cool?” She gently touched it to his cheek—barely grazing it.  
  
“Y—yeah,” he said.   _I haven’t been touched either—not since that fucking mistake-_ \- His breathing escalated, and with it the pain in his head.  
  
“How about the other side?” She again held her hand, very softly, against his cheek. He nodded, flinching back as his skin came into slightly firmer contact with hers. He didn't have the energy to fight her away.  
  
“Okay,” she said again, sitting back on her heels. “I don’t have any diagnostic tools with me, but I can say with some certainty that you’re suffering from a migraine, not a stroke or head trauma. I won’t guess at the cause, but given the circumstances, I wouldn’t rule out much.” Her hands clutched at her necklace again, nervously. “There isn’t too much I can do to help, though. I don’t know where we are, or I’d try to find some water—hmm, wait a moment.”

She moved around behind him, and he heard some rustling. He had another moment of panic as he felt her lift his head. She placed it on something soft. “There. It’s not much, but at least you’re not completely on the floor now.”

She wasn’t wearing the purple skirt anymore, and he realized she’d balled it up to pillow his head. She smoothed the long white underskirt, kneeling beside him. Her every move was dainty, lady-like.  _Not at all like us,_ he thought. Myrmidons moved with purpose, certainty, efficiency. They completely lacked the grace that seemed to be effortless to her.  
  
“Just try to breathe slowly,” she said, her voice lowered. “Keep your eyes closed, but don’t scrunch them so tightly.  You need to try to stay relaxed.”

It was silent for a moment, and then a sharp pain shot through across his head like a lightning bolt. He tried to stifle a groan.  
  
“Shh, it’s okay, It’s going to be okay,” she said softly. “Don’t think about the pain, just empty your mind. Think of your favorite color.”  
  
She paused. “Mine’s blue. It seems… calm.”  
  
They sat there in silence for a time. This wasn’t right, Brother wouldn’t approve of this weakness, but… her instructions were helping. The crazy bitch was helping him, and nobody had come out to reveal the joke.  She seemed... genuine.   _Why_ ?

Finally, he croaked out one of the many questions that were on his mind, cracking his eyes briefly to look at her.  
  
“Your name’s…. Luna, right?”  
  
She made a soft, affirmative noise, nodding.  _Then…. one of these fucked up memories must be true_. “Do you know who I am?”  
  
She paused, then nodded again, with the same soft noise. “I… know of you.”  
  
He closed his eyes. “Then you know what I did—what I came here to do,” he shook his head as he corrected himself, squinting in frustration. “Fuck, I can’t think straight.” He waited for her to grow angry, to bash his head on the floor or scream as he reminded her.  
  
Instead, she responded quietly, although when he opened his eyes again she had turned her face slightly so he couldn't see her expression. “I… I know.”

 _You KNOW? I killed your goddamn boss or whatever and you KNOW?_  
  
 “Then why the fuck are you helping me?” he growled.  Glaring at her made his vision blurry, and the pain made his breath hitch.  
  
Luna took a moment to reply, as if gathering her thoughts. Finally, she let out a sigh. “Because… you needed my help. That’s all there is to it. I couldn’t let you suffer like that, no matter what you did. Or meant to do.” She gave a sad smile. “I’ll be honest, I’m just as confused as you are about… a lot of things, right now. There’s a lot I don’t understand. But I do know I can’t let anyone be in so much pain if I can help them. No matter who they are, or what they’ve done.”  She pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them, resting her chin on top, and was silent.  
  
Dio let out a huff in response. How fucking naive this chick was, if he needed to he’d stab her without flinching. There was no need for anything but the master race in Brother’s plan, no stupid, gentle, kind women like this… like her…  
  
And, not for the first time, he wondered to himself if that really was for the best.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dio is my favorite asshole, I make no apologies.


	4. Junpei, Aoi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Take off your shirt,” Aoi interrupted suddenly.

**_BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP_ **  
  
Junpei groaned and flung his arm up over his eyes. It felt much too early to really be 9 am, the time he normally woke up. 9 am was perfect, it was late enough that it didn't quite feel like morning, but early enough that he would still have a few hours to take his time getting his things together before check out.  
  
He sighed, trying to tone out the monotonous beeping. It was pointless to struggle, really, the wake up call from downstairs was set for ten minutes after nine, and then another every five minutes after if he didn't respond. He knew he really needed to start waking up on his own, but long hours of traveling and searching, combined with stressful freelance work, didn't really lend well to a regular schedule.

He drew his hands over his face, wiping the sand out of his eyes before opening them to stare at the gray metal ceiling. He blinked a few more times, shifting.  _Weird, I didn't remember getting a room in a modern hotel, I must be more out of it than I thought._

He went to check the time on his wristwatch—an item he was never quite comfortable wearing anymore. He squinted at it, then his eyes shot open completely and his body straightened to high alert.

“ _Fuck_ ,” he said, feeling a rush of panic sweep away the last of his sleepiness as he jolted upright.

It was a numbered—well,  _symboled_ — bracelet. He took in the rest of his surroundings in a few seconds as he rolled off the cot he’d been lying on to his feet. It was a small metal room, about elevator sized, with similar doors, but no buttons leading to different floors. A table sized console was next to him, and another cot beside that with another person sitting on it. The beeping was coming from the device, but he wasn't immediately concerned with it. 

It had to be another Nonary Game. And that meant he was closer to Akane. His fists tightened.  _It had to_ .  

He heard a sardonic chuckle from across the room, and his eyes jerked back to the other inhabitant. A young man with slicked back white hair was seated against the wall, legs sprawled out casually, and a hand covering his face dramatically as if to  _show_  the disgust that could be heard in his voice. Junpei's eyes widened.

“Holy shi— _Santa_? I mean— Aoi?” The man drew down his hand to his chin, revealing a sarcastic smile and bright, cold blue eyes. They met Junpei’s and remained there, unblinking. For a moment, the only sound was the beeping of the console. Without breaking his gaze, Aoi slammed a fist onto it, and the beeping abruptly ceased. Junpei uncomfortably looked away.

“Is it… it really you?” Junpei’s voice was hoarse when it finally came out. Santa—no,  _Aoi_ , Aoi Kurashiki— had changed. Although he couldn't be much older than the last time Junpei had seen him, his face had the signs of stress-induced aging—small but deep wrinkles in the corners of his deeply bagged eyes, and a bitter expression that was very unlike the cocky, carefree attitude he had displayed during the Nonary Game. His hair was no longer pulled back with bands, but shorter, and slicked back, almost like a helmet. Instead of the punk fashion he'd been wearing the last time they were together, he had a simple, sleeveless black turtleneck and plain pants—although they were a tad baggier than a usual cut. What Junpei assumed was a suit jacket rested beside him. He was also wearing a bracelet with a symbol on it.

“Jumpy. How  _delightful_ .” Aoi’s voice danced over the nickname scornfully, but his cold eyes were firm on Junpei’s face. “Here I was, thinking I’d never see you again.” He shrugged, closing his eyes as he leaned back. “Wonders never cease, I guess.” He let out a low snort. “Guess I must really be in hell this time.”

“Dude…. What’s your problem?” Junpei asked, trying not to feel too heated by the other man's belligerent attitude. He couldn't say that he was happy to see Santa— _Aoi_ , he corrected himself again, but he wasn't exactly  _miserable_ , the way disgust seemed to drip out of every one of Aoi’s pores. His eyes narrowed. “And more importantly, where’s Akane?”

Aoi let out a short, barking laugh. He opened his eyes just to roll them, pressing his hands together behind his head and dropping it back against the wall onto them. “Shouldn't you be asking where  _we_  are, Junpei? Or do you already know?” He stared at his companion coldly.

“Huh? How the hell should I know?” Junpei’s hand unintentionally balled into a fist. The reality of seeing Aoi Kurashiki in front of him was sinking in, and years of restrained emotion began to bubble to the surface. “Last time I checked,  _I_  wasn't the one in the habit of kidnapping people and strapping  _fucked up_  bracelets on them.”  
  
“You got a problem with that?” Aoi snapped, sitting back up. He sneered at Junpei. “Figures, even after everything that happened, you'd be bawling about _that_.”  
  
“Of  _course_   I have a fucking problem with that! Who the fuck wouldn’t?” Junpei’s voice ~~~~rose  as he took a step towards Aoi, who stood up and crossed his arms over his chest, unfazed by the other man's slender build. Junpei stopped inches away, his fingers numb from how tightly he was holding his fists.

They were almost identical heights—Aoi was an inch or so taller— which made it easy for them to glare at each other. Junpei took a deep breath. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears. “You kidnap me in the middle of the night, with no explanation, take me out of the country to the middle of some desert, drop me into a fucked up game and tell me I'm going to be blown apart if I mess up.”   
  
Junpei paused a moment to take another breath. His chest was rising quick and slightly unsteadily as he continued. “And then without   _any_  explanation, you take Akane away again and vanish. Just disappear.” He ground his teeth. “What the fuck am I NOT supposed to have a problem with?”

Aoi’s eye twitched, as did the corner of his mouth. Junpei’s expression softened—was that pain on the other man’s face? He forced his hands to unclench. 

“Aoi.   _Where is Akane?_ ”  
  
The other man looked away as a strange expression overtook his face. His crossed arms no longer looked intimidating, but more like he was holding himself together. 

“Akane…” he began, then stopped. He closed his eyes tightly as if he was fighting off painful memories. Finally he turned and looked Junpei in the eye.  
  
“Akane… Akane is _dead_ , Junpei.”

“Wh…  _what_ ?”

He had to have misheard. There was a rushing sound in his ears, like he was standing in a shower turned to full blast. The world blurred in front of him. Aoi’s voice cut through to him again, bringing the world back into focus.

“Akane is dead.”  
  
Junpei stumbled backwards. He hit the edge of the cot with his calves and lowered himself onto it, trying to catch his breath. His head sunk into his hands, his eyes wide and staring at the floor. _This  can't  be real this  can't  be real thiscantbereal—_  A thousand images flashed through his mind--the brown haired girl smiling, laughing, crying, _living_ \-- __  
  
The machine between the two men abruptly began to beep again. Junpei focused on the noise, letting it overtake him and then slowly lead him back into the room. A numbness spread over his entire body.

He looked up at Aoi and croaked out one question. “H… how? I…”  
  
“ _Because YOU fucked up, Junpei!_ ” Aoi yelled with sudden ferocity. He turned and kicked the chirping console, adding a loud metallic ring to his tirade as the beeping stopped. ~~~~He spun back to Junpei, his eyes wide and wild. There was a shine to them that showed the beginning of angry tears.   “How the _fuck_ do you forget something like that? How do you—” 

He turned around, his fingers digging into his shoulders in a very painful looking way. “I should… I  _would_   fucking kill you right now, if she hadn't made me promise…”  
  
A cold silence settled into the room as the metal finally stopped vibrating. A vibrating noise attempted to develop into a strangled beep, but Aoi slammed a fist onto the console, cutting it off short.

Junpei's head was still spinning, trying to put the knowledge in context, trying to fit it into his own memories.  He couldn't--it just wouldn't _fit_ , it wasn't _right_. He looked up at the trembling man.  
  
“What are you talking about?” he finally managed to say, slowly, over the burning tightness in his throat. “When I last saw her, you were taking her away. And I solved that puzzle, I  _saved_  her. I  _know_  she was okay. She… she showed me. So…. What happened?” 

“You solved it? Solved  _what_ , you fucking idiot. You never even got that far.” Aoi’s voice was quieter, still dripping disgust, but there was a small line of uncertainty underneath it. He rubbed his wrist across his face. “You got stabbed. So did she.” His voice trembled. “So did… everyone. I was the only survivor… at least… that’s what I thought. Except for that monster.” His shoulders sagged. “And I guess you, too, since you're here all bright and shiny.”  
  
Junpei shook his head slowly, then again, adamantly. “No. No way. I was never stabbed. I think I'd remember something like that.”

“I watched it happen,” Aoi snapped, dropping back down onto the cot. He no longer looked angry, but exhausted. The dark circles under his eyes seemed even more prominent. “Hongou had the knife. Even though he’d already stabbed me, you decided you could talk him down.  _Reason_  with him. And Akane… she tried to save you.” He closed his eyes tightly before the liquid glistening in them could take form. “She got stabbed for you, and the fucker knifed you when you turned to her.” He opened his eyes again, staring at something far away in his mind. “I watched your blood mixing together on the floor before I lost consciousness.”

His eyes refocused on Junpei. “That’s not something you can ever forget. Watching your sister die…”  
  
The men didn’t speak for a while, each lost in his own memory. Junpei ran through the events he relived in so many nightmares, his hand absently touching the bracelet that was now on his wrist.    
  
Finally Junpei shook his head, slowly but adamantly. “No. I mean, Hongou did kind of… go a little crazy, but he didn’t end up hurting anyone. And Akane left with you.” He let out a sigh. “I don’t have any proof other than the fact that I’m here, alive. And I don’t remember anything like what you just described happening. But I clearly remember what Akane showed me in the incinerator. She was alive.”

“Well, that’s what happened,” Aoi snapped. Junpei had no response.  
  
The room was silent again. Junpei stared down at his hands, the bracelet eventually coming into focus. He examined the symbol. It was a circle with two lines on the top, like horns. Zodiac, he realized. He inhaled sharply as the memory of Akane explaining the planetary symbols on the doors of the Gigantic overtook him.  _Akane_ ….  
  
She couldn't be dead. It was absolutely impossible. Junpei realized that he wasn’t simply reassuring himself with those thoughts—no, he was absolutely certain they were correct. He didn’t just trust in his own memories—he trusted in her, in what she’d shown him.  _I believe in Akane_.  
  
And he was going to prove it. Regardless of his current differences with Aoi, he was going to leave this room with him, and he was going to find Akane. Not only that, he was going to bring her back to her sibling, and maybe then the awful agony he saw in Aoi’s eyes would fade. 

Junpei looked around the room again. Other than the console, the cots, and the doors, the room was completely plain. There were no markings on the walls or any loose parts anywhere that he could see. The only unique thing was the machine, therefore, Junpei concluded, that had to be the way out.  
  
He stood up and walked over to it, examining it carefully. There seemed to be some kind of screen on top, but it wasn’t powered on. It didn’t seem like it would be working anytime soon, Junpei thought, seeing as there was a large crack running through it. He touched it hesitantly. “What happened here?”  
  
“I broke it,” Aoi replied unhesitatingly.   
  
Junpei’s eye twitched. “You _what_?”  
  
“I broke it,” Aoi repeated slowly without a hint of shame or apology in his voice. “The fucking thing wouldn’t turn on, and that beeping really pissed me off. So I hit it, and I guess that broke it.” He shrugged and tossed himself backwards on the cot, staring up at the ceiling. The dark mood that had surrounded him seemed as if it had lessened. He seemed to be working something out in his head, but Junpei wasn't in the mood to give him more time to think after that flippant comment. 

“Did it occur to you,” Junpei began, “that maybe—just maybe— _that might have been the only way to get out of this room?_ ”    
  
“Guess so,” Aoi said, his eyes closed as if he was about to take a nap. “Shit sucks, don’t it.”  
  
“Aoi, what the   _fuck_ —-”

“Take off your shirt,” Aoi interrupted suddenly, sitting upright so quickly that Junpei stepped back, hitting his calves against the other cot again and falling gracelessly into it. His head lightly smacked the wall behind him, and he winced. Aoi was still staring at him intently when he opened his eyes.  
  
“What did you say?” Junpei asked, irritated and confused—as well as in slight pain, now. Aoi crossed his arms decisively.  
  
“If you wanna prove that I’m wrong, and you weren't stabbed by Hongou, take off your shirt. Show me that you don’t have any scars.” He sat back, smiling smugly. Junpei thought he could see a trace of “Santa” in the other man again. Aoi raised his eyebrows and jutted his chin out. “Well, c'mon. Take it off.”

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Junpei said, drawing his hands across his face. He sighed, rolling his eyes and reaching back to yank his t-shirt over his head. He pulled it down to his wrists. “There, happy?”  
  
He watched as Aoi’s eyes traced over his torso, and shifted uncomfortably. It was very strange to him to be observed so intensely by another man—well,  _anyone_  ordering him to strip in this situation would be weird, he supposed. Aoi jerked his chin up at him. “Turn around.”  
  
Junpei let out another exasperated sigh and turned around, trying not to shiver. The room was slightly chilly. He waited for Aoi to report his findings, but the other man was silent. “Are you finished?” he asked, turning his head over his shoulder.  
  
“Guess so,” Aoi said. He was reclining again, and seemed to be examining his fingernails now rather than the half dressed man in front of him. Junpei hid a grin as he felt a sudden burst of optimism. That was definitely a “Santa” attitude.

“So?” he asked as he struggled back into his t-shirt. “Satisfied?”  
  
Santa shrugged, glancing at him from the corners of his eyes. “Average. I’ve seen better.” 

Junpei felt himself flushing, and he tugged down the hem of his shirt. “ _What the_ —I mean, you saw proof, right? I don't have any scars, I was never stabbed! Do you believe me yet?”

Aoi didn't answer, crossing his arms around himself again. Finally he spoke, sitting back up and facing Junpei. “Something is up, something big. You just proved it. Neither of us should be here together. It’s not right.”   
  
Junpei opened his mouth, but Santa silenced him with a withering glare. “I’m not talking about how delightful I find your company, I mean, big picture wise, something is very, very wrong, and I think I know what it is.” He looked into Junpei’s eyes with a deadly serious expression. “We’re from alternate worldlines.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I bet you thought I was going to be one of THOSE authors... you know the ones... write a few chapters hinting at an epic story, then just kind of vanish? NOPE. At least I hope not. The past few months have been pretty busy, but I'm hoping to get on a better schedule. This fandom is so starved for fics, I'll do my best to contribute what I can. If you have a suggestion for a one shot, toss it my way. :3 If it's Zero Escape I'm interested. 
> 
> Anyways I hope you enjoy my fic, things should really get cooking next chapter. :3 :3 :3


	5. Phi, Sigma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Um, Phi, you know, if you're looking for something to blow, well, we are short on time, but—”

Phi glared at the dark screen where Zero Junior and a third, or whatever he'd said his name was, had previously been. There didn't seem to be anything in the room that was remotely like a puzzle, on second as well as third search. She sighed, glancing at Sigma, who was poking at the machine. “If there had been a safe, we would have been able to rely on your memory for help, probably.” She reached up to tear the poster from the wall and flipped it over. “Nothing on the back of this, either. You find anything useful?”   
  
He shook his head. “No, the screen doesn't light up, and there’s no cabinet or anything else that’s loose…” He frowned. “I'm really not sure what’s going on, but I'm determined to find out.”  
  
“Well _ hop _ to it,” Phi said, not removing her eyes from the poster. There was something off about it. Sigma groaned.  


“Don't tell me you're going to make rabbit jokes, too!”

“Says the cat guy who was just meowing a few minutes ago?”

“Hey, it’s not like that’s a proud moment in my life, okay? I had to speak his language! And it’s not like I  _cat_ help myself, cats just bring  _meowt_ this tic!”

Phi ignored Sigma, rolling the poster up and shoving it under her arm. She moved to the buttons alongside the bars on the walls, narrowing her eyes as she examined them closely. There were six on each side. She leaned in closer, squinting. The texture on the buttons seemed to be slightly off…  
  
She grabbed a corner of her vest and began to rub one of them, but the texture didn't come off. She breathed on it lightly, preparing to scrub at it again with a bit of moisture, but stopped as she saw as a shape appeared on the surface in the mist of her breath.  


“It’s a Zodiac symbol,” she said to herself, and turned and blew on the next button, then the next. Sigma looked up from where he was poking at the side of the machine, giving her a quizzical look.  
  
“Um, Phi, you know, if you're looking for something to blow, well, we are short on time, but—” Sigma ducked as Phi flung the poster at him.  
  
“Shut up and look at this. I should have noticed earlier, the constellations aren’t in their right places—and look, four of them are brighter than the others.” She pointed to the wall. “A Zodiac symbol appears when I blow on the buttons. So…”  


“Press them in that order, and we’re outta here—hopefully. Awesome job, Phi!” Sigma said, straightening the poster and peering down at it intently. “Okay. Um. Here goes. Starting from the top and going clockwise, the bright ones are… Lion, two fish—”  


“Are you serious?” Phi grabbed the poster back. Sigma shrugged sheepishly.

“Sorry, I know some astronomy, but not this astrology stuff.” He frowned at his bracelet. “Probably should familiarize myself pretty fast.”

“Yeah, you think?” the young woman said as she stepped back, satisfied that all of the correct constellations were lit. She closed her eyes. “As long as these are in the right order… If he wasn't lying, we don't have much time left….”   


Just as she finished speaking, a soft bell rang somewhere in the distance. With a groan, the doors in front of them began to open. She jumped in the air and pumped her fist, pulling it against her quickly in surprise. _The hell is with all this emotion?_  
  
“Hell yeah!” Sigma was cheering beside her, having no such embarrassment. He clapped his hand on her shoulder. “Let’s go, partner!”

Phi smiled, amused at his choice of words. _ Well… that sums us up pretty well _ . “Don’t have to tell me twice.” They stepped through the open doorway together.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always to Sey, and I love comments and stuff. Seriously. A lot.


	6. The First Gathering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " It seems we’re having a reunion.”

Phi stumbled as she stepped out of the Ambidex Room.  
  
Sigma caught her by the arm, pulling her back against him. “Hey, take it easy there! Are you feeling okay?”  
  
She rested for a fraction of a second as she caught her breath, and then shoved him away, seeming irritated at his concern.  
  
“I’m fine,” she said shortly.  
  
He shrugged, attempting to hide a frown. This wasn’t the Phi he was used to. His thoughts stopped abruptly as he took in their surroundings.  
  
The room was long, with gorgeous wooden paneling and a marble floor. Four doors on the opposite side, and a curved staircase swept up to their left. They’d come out of a set of doors on the complete opposite end of the stairs, where metal plates seemed to be bolted over windows. He blinked.  
  
“Well… we’re not in Kansas anymore, that’s for sure,” he said to himself, running his hand through his hair as he took in the tiled ceiling. Phi gave him a strange look, and Sigma shrugged. “Old, _old_ movie. Kinda had the same surreal feeling—”  
  
“Who’s there?” Phi interrupted. She began to walk towards the center of the room.  
  
A woman with lovely auburn hair piled on her head looked up, startled. She was kneeling next to a figure that seemed to be collapsed on the floor. Her long white skirt was preventing him from seeing the other person’s face, but Sigma was certain he knew who the woman was.

  
“Luna,” he said, his pace increasing to a short jog. “Hey, Luna!”  
  
She turned towards him, her hand rising to her mouth as she stood up. She smiled, a relieved expression crossing her face. “Kyle! Oh Kyle, are you al—”   
  
Sigma shook his head, cutting her off. “Sorry, I’m not Kyle, but you’re not the first one to make that mistake.” She tilted her head, looking a little confused.  
  
“Then… Doctor? Is it… really you?” Her wide blue eyes lit up, and her smile grew a little.   
  


Sigma winced, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck awkwardly and feeling slightly embarrassed. “Well, not quite, I mean, not yet. Right now I’m just Sigma.”  
  
“Ah,” Luna replied as she nodded in understanding. She seemed slightly disappointed, but she was trying to hide it. She looked over at Phi. “And Phi, too. It seems we’re having a reunion.” She smiled again.

  
Sigma couldn’t help but grin as well—even though he had no idea what was going on, Luna’s presence was sweet and calming. He could tell by her obvious relief that she felt safer just by his appearance. His grin faded a bit. _Kind of a lot to live up to, in her eyes…_ He cleared his throat. “Well, I’m not really sure—”  
  
“You gotta be fucking kidding me,” interrupted the voice behind Luna. Sigma looked over the red-haired woman’s shoulder and his eyes narrowed instantly.  
  
Dio—rather, _Left_ , the murderous cultist, was lying on the ground holding his hat over his eyes, and rubbing his temple with his other hand. He gave a sarcastic chuckle. “The idiot and the bitch. This is classic.” He sighed dramatically. “The fuck did I do to deserve—”  
  
“ _Dio_! Stop it,” Luna cut him off mid-sentence, startling everyone with her firm tone. Phi closed her mouth and stepped back, and Sigma could tell she had been about to unleash her own friendly greeting to the other man. Luna lifted a hand to her chest as she continued. “I won’t have us arguing before we understand where we are and what’s happening. So, please…” She trailed off, seeming nervous as everyone stared at her.  
  
Dio lifted his hat slightly from his widened eyes. He seemed more surprised than any of them at the calm woman’s scolding. His eyes narrowed slightly, and Sigma could tell he was reevaluating the woman  silently. _Good_.  
  
He looked back over to  Luna. He hadn’t thought she really had the capacity to be even slightly angry, but he hadn’t built her yet, or even met the woman he would model her off of. It seemed she had secrets that only the old Dr. Klim, as well as herself, would know.  
  
Something nagged at him. He looked away. Somehow, it hurt to look at her, and her open, complete faith in him—or rather, who he would be.  
  


Luna turned back to Sigma. “Doct—I mean, Sigma, do you know… where we are?” Her hand tightened around her necklace as she looked around the room, searching again for anything familiar in its contents.  
  
Sigma shook his head. “Not a clue. Phi and I just woke up in an Ambidex Room, like always, but it wasn’t actually… the same.” His brow furrowed. “I have no idea what this place even is.”  
  
“It’s a replica of the Titanic. The Gigantic.” Phi spoke up suddenly .   She had moved over to the nearest wall in between two Ambidex doors. One arm was pressed against it, propping herself up. She was breathing heavily as she held onto her stomach. “It’s where the original Nonary Games took place.” She held a hand against her mouth and swallowed hard before continuing. “I can’t explain how it’s connected to those AB rooms, or even say for sure that it’s the same thing, but…” She pressed her hand against her mouth and crushed her eyes shut.  
  
“How… did you know that?” Sigma asked, stepping over to the pale woman. Luna was already at Phi’s side, offering her arm for support. “And more importantly, are you okay?”  
  
Phi shook her head. Sweat was breaking out on her face. Luna held her hand against the smaller woman’s forehead and frowned. “It’s… it’s not a big deal. I’m a… little nauseated, but it’s just a headac—”  
  
Her explanation was halted by a grinding sound from the door next to her. As they watched, fingers appeared in the crack, followed by hands and arms pushing against the sides as they groaned open. Finally a young man with messy brown hair and a confused expression stumbled out, followed by a pale man with shocking white hair and a slightly arrogant, bitter look about him .   
  
The first man looked back at the doors, shaking his head in disgust. “I can’t believe it was that easy. Guess I shouldn’t underestimate my _ guns _ !” He flexed, grinning. His smile trailed off as he looked at the people staring at him. He blinked, then grinned again in a disarming manner, rubbing the back of his head innocently. “Uh… hi everybody…”  
  
The other man stepped around him, giving his surroundings a bemused look. “Hmm. Can’t say I expected this.” He looked at Sigma. “Is there just you two?” He jerked his head towards Dio’s prone figure behind Sigma.  
  
“No, there’s four of us,” Phi replied. The man turned towards her, and then stopped, a confused expression crossing his face briefly as his cold blue eyes met a nearly matching pair. The white haired man and woman stared at each other silently for a moment, then Phi spun back around and vomited against the wall.  
  
“Well that’s a nice greeting,” the man said sarcastically, crossing his arms. Sigma noticed that both of the men were wearing bracelets as well, although he couldn’t recognize the symbols. The strange man’s mouth twisted into a frown. “There better be a hell of a good explanation for this.”  
  
“I hope so too,” Sigma said, stepping forward. He wasn’t a fan of this man’s attitude. “So who are you?”  
  
“Well, do you want real names or nicknames?” the brown haired man asked. He seemed much friendlier than his companion. Sigma raised an eyebrow, and the white haired man laughed sarcastically. “What? It’s what we did last time, _ Santa _ .”  
  
“Santa” stopped laughing and rolled his eyes. “I don’t care, whoever is messing around certainly knows who I am.” He lifted his chin towards Sigma and Dio. “Name’s Aoi. Let’s leave it at that.”  
  
“Junpei,” the friendly man said. “Nice to meet you… well, you know… ” He shrugged awkwardly. He seemed happier to be there than any of the others surrounding him.  
  
“I’m Sigma, and that’s Phi and Luna.” He nodded in their direction.   
  
“Charmed,” Aoi said dryly.  
  
“Hey, way to leave me out,” Dio interjected, sitting up and wrinkling his nose in disgust. He took a deep breath, pressing a hand against his forehead. He squinted up at Aoi. “Name’s Dio. You seem… familiar.”  
  
Aoi shrugged instead of responding, completely unfazed. He had the air that none of this really concerned him, as though he was watching a performance by the others. Sigma glared at Dio.  
  
“Shouldn’t we be calling you _ Left _ ?” he said caustically. Dio turned to glower back at him, then his eyes opened wide in surprise as he took in Sigma’s appearance.

  
“What the hell—” he started when Junpei interrupted, pointing up the stairs.  
  
“Hey, who’s up there?”  
  
Everyone turned to the curving wooden stairs. Voices were coming from the right hand side. One sounded like a woman, and the other was a very deep man’s. They stepped down low enough to peer over the railing, and Junpei gasped.  
  
“Hey—Lotus! Seven!” He ran up as the two continued to walk down, grinning wildly.  
  
“Hey, Junpei!” The huge man slapped the younger one on the back, shaking his hand enthusiastically. Even the woman gave a small grin to him, although her air of irritation didn’t leave. She looked around the room.  
  
“Well, this is just peachy,” she said, putting one hand on her hip. Sigma noticed a bracelet on her wrist. The woman brushed her long black hair, gathered into smaller braids, over her shoulders. She was wearing an oversized blue and white striped shirt that matched the pants the man was wearing, with shapely legs peeking out from under the hem. Her feet were bare. “Last time I was kidnapped they at least made sure I was dressed. And not… busy.”  
  
“Seven” shrugged, rubbing his bare arms.  He had a tight sleeveless white shirt on and seemed slightly chilly. “It could’ve been worse. A few hours ago, we’d have been—”   
  


“Lotus” slapped his arm. “Excuse me, _darling_ , not in front of strangers.”  
  
“Where’d you guys come from?” Junpei asked, taking in their appearance. It was pretty obvious that the couple had been sleeping, and that the woman was wearing the man’s pajama shirt. Sigma grinned to himself as he realized he wasn’t entirely certain she was wearing anything under it. Maybe if he took a step to the side and tilted his head just so—  
  
“We were in the middle of our honeymoon in Hawaii. I don’t remember any gas or anything this time, we just woke up here.” The huge man frowned. “It’s kind of weird, the room we woke up in looks just like that big hospital room where we… y’know. The first game.” He eyed the other people suspiciously, and Sigma quickly straightened. He got the impression that the other man was absorbing every detail. He took a step forward.  
  
“Has everyone here been a part of a Nonary Game before?” Sigma asked. The woman glared at him.  
  
“Who the hell are you?” she demanded. “Are you responsible for this?”  
  
“Me? No no! I’m a victim here too, I swear!” Sigma said as he stepped back slightly, intimidated by her sharp tongue. Dio barked out a laugh from the floor.  
  
“Yeah, maybe not THIS time,” he cackled, then dropped his face into his hands. Sigma frowned. __Should he know that?  
  


“Um, excuse me,” Luna called softly. Phi was curled up in a ball beside her. “I’m very sorry to interrupt, but you had mentioned a hospital room?”

  
“Yup,” the giant man replied. “I mean, tons of beds, a couple of racks of bandages and stuff. Not sure what else, we thought we heard voices and headed down here before really exploring.”  
  
Luna gave a relieved smile. “Oh, that’s wonderful. We need to get Phi and Dio there quickly. I might be able to find something to help them, but if not, at least they’ll be more comfortable.”  
  
“Yeah, sounds good,” Sigma said, choosing not to add his thoughts that Dio could rot on the floor, for all he cared. He looked around the room. “Everybody cool on waiting for introductions til we get up there?”  
  
The group nodded and murmured in agreement, except Aoi. When Sigma turned around, he saw that the man appeared rather pale as he looked at the new couple. “Yo, Santa-boy, that cool?”  
  
“ _ SANTA _ ?” the woman shrieked. Everyone shrank back as she marched the rest of the way down the stairs to stand before Aoi. She stabbed her finger at his face. “YOU. HOW DARE YOU— _ AGAIN _ —”

Her husband hurried up behind her and laid a hand on her shoulder. “Hazuki, calm down.”  
  


She spun around. “Calm down? CALM DOWN? We’re dragged out here DURING OUR HONEYMOON and you’re telling me to—” She turned again to Aoi, who now seemed as white as his hair. “What? What is it this time? Why can’t you just leave my family alone?”  
  
“Whoa, let’s just wait a minute,” Junpei interrupted, stepping between the two. “Sa—Aoi says he doesn’t have anything to do with it this time, and I believe him, okay?” He looked from side to side at each of them.  
  
The woman snorted. “A likely story. I’m—”  
  
“I’m really sorry, but we need to get these people up to the hospital room _now_ ,” an unexpected voice interrupted. Sigma raised his eyebrows at Luna, who had walked over to stand in front of the group. She was holding tightly on to her necklace, but her eyes were determined. “Please hold off your argument until then.”  
  
“Luna’s right,” Junpei said, seeming relieved to have backup. “Come on, let’s help them upstairs and we can all sit and figure this out there, okay?”  
  
The new woman let out a slow breath. “Fine. But don’t even think of trying to hide somewhere, _Aoi_.”  
  
Aoi didn’t say anything in response. Luna nodded, letting go of her necklace.  Sigma noticed her hands were shaking slightly. “Okay. I’m going to head up to see what I can find. Sigma, could you please help Phi? And if one of you could help Dio—”  
  
“I don’t need any fucking help,” Dio snapped, climbing to his feet and swaying slightly. He paused, looking a bit green. He turned away abruptly, stumbling to the railing of the stairs. “I think I can climb some damn stairs just fine.”  
  
“If you fall, nobody’s going to catch you,” Sigma called over to him as he reached Phi. Dio lifted his middle finger in response without turning around. His other hand tightly grabbed the railing as the others walked past him, Luna leading the way.  
  
“Hey, Phi?” Sigma said softly as he reached her side. Phi was curled up in a ball, her arms over her head. He touched her shoulder gently. “Phi, I’m gonna pick you up now, okay?”  
  
Phi groaned in response. “Was that a yes?” he asked. Phi lowered her arm to peer up at him.  
  
“I might throw up on you,” she mumbled roughly.   
  
“No problem, I’ll just drop you then.” Phi gave the slightest chuckle, then groaned. She nodded jerkily.  
  
Sigma leaned down and scooped her up with both arms. She was as light as she looked—maybe even a bit smaller than he’d expected. He frowned. Her fever was intense, and her sweat soaked through his coverall.  
  
Phi looked up at him with a slight smile, but tears were in her eyes. “This is… pretty painful, Sigma,” she said, closing her eyes again. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt this awful.” She swallowed hard. “I hope it’s not contagious.  The only person I’d want to feel this sick already seems to.”  
  
“I’m sure Luna’ll find something to make you feel better, so hang in there, okay?” Sigma replied, his voice cracking slightly, betraying his concern. Phi gave a noncommittal grunt in response and was silent.

  
He took a firm step onto the staircase. If this was going to be a Nonary game, it wasn’t remotely like any of the ones he’d previously played.  Something was very strange—and considering he’d time travelled, dimension hopped, and been on the moon, that was definitely saying something.  He let out a deep breath.  With several people here, one of them had to have some answers.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to Sey for beta-ing! :) feedback makes me write faster :3


	7. The Hospital Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Whoever did this knows who we are. I’m certain.”

As Junpei entered the arch at the top of the stairs, he was greeted with a familiar sight. His jaw dropped slightly as he looked around. Beds stretched vertically as well as horizontally, occasionally separated by shelves with strange bottles on them. Far to his left were three unmarked double doors.   
  
“The hospital room,” he said to himself. It didn’t make sense—how did such a large room change positions? He was absolutely certain that the lobby had not led up to it during the previous game.  
  
Dio was sprawled out face down against the closest bed, his hat falling to the floor beside it. Luna had reached the room before Junpei, and was reading labels on the nearest shelves intently. He heard her gasp sharply.  
  
“Oh! Um, hello,” she said in a startled yet polite voice, peering through the shelves to the other side. “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there!”  
  
“Don’t worry about it—I guess you can’t really see us from the door,” called out a voice Junpei recognized easily. “So you’re another player, right?” A girl with long pink hair pulled up into a ponytail stepped out from the other side of the shelves. She was wearing some kind of uniform, with a pink short sleeved shirt, long dark pants, and a yellow apron on top. “It’s nice to meet you!” She looked over as Junpei arrived, panting slightly. “Hey! Junpei!”  
  
His grin spread from ear to ear. “Clover!” The young woman bounded up to Junpei and threw her arms around him. He took two steps backwards to balance himself, laughing as he returned her embrace. “Whoa, careful there!” He looked to the side and saw an elegant man wearing a long dark blue coat with military-style decorations rising from a nearby bed. “Snake—I mean, Light, it’s great to see you too!”  
  
“I cannot say I approve of the circumstances, but it is good to see you, Junpei,” the man said as a smile spread over his calm face. He turned towards Luna. “Are you a friend of Junpei’s as well?”  
  
“We just met recently, but I would love to be considered that,” she said, smiling gently. “My name is Luna.”  
  
“Ah, a lovely name. I am Light, and this is my younger sister Clover.” He gave a slight bow. “I am delighted to make your acquaintance.” Luna gave a short curtsy, then turned to the sound of footsteps.  
  
Junpei heard a familiar irritated snort. He turned to see Lotus and Seven arriving to the shelf, Seven with a big smile, and Lotus trying to keep her annoyed expression. It seemed useless, a smile was peeking out. Aoi was trailing behind them, his shoulders slightly hunched over as if he was trying not to be noticed. Junpei couldn’t blame him, after all, Lotus was absolutely terrifying when she was angry. Instead of joining them, the silver haired man began to walk around the room, examining everything carefully.  
  
“Well, I can’t say _ I’m _ delighted,” Lotus was saying as Junpei turned back to the group. “I’d prefer not to see anyone if it meant I didn’t have to play another one of these ridiculous games.” Seven laughed.   
  
“We’ll get through it, no problem! After all, we did it the first time. And Clover and Snake gotta be experts by now!” He slapped Junpei’s back, nearly knocking him over.   
  
Clover jumped up on her tiptoes to give the large man a hug as well. Junpei felt a bit confused—he didn’t remember Clover being this affectionate. Although she’d given him a warm greeting, she hadn’t hugged him when he’d visited the coffee shop she was working at. His train of thought was interrupted as Sigma entered, carrying Phi.   
  
“Luna, have you found any—whoa, MORE people?” The tall man set Phi down gently on a bed and jogged over to join the group. “Who are you?”  
  
“I’m Clover!” the girl sang, bouncing back down on a bed. She pointed to Light. “And this is my brother—”  
  
“Whoa, wait a second!” Seven interrupted, holding up a meaty hand. “Didn’t we go through this last time? We don’t know who’s watching us, or why. Code names!”  
  
“Whoever did this knows who we are. I’m certain.” Junpei replied, crossing an arm across his chest and tapping his chin thoughtfully. “There’s no way being reunited like this is just a coincidence.”  
  
Sigma sat down on a nearby bed as he nodded. “Junpei’s right. I’m assuming we’ve all gone through a Nonary Game before, since no one seems particularly alarmed by all this.” He held up his wrist to display his bracelet, and waved his hand to indicate the large room. “I mean, we don’t know each other, but I don’t really think there’s a point in hiding our identities. We’re going to have to work together to get out of this, so we should be open from the start.”  
  
“Alright,” Seven said. He still looked a bit on edge. “But I still want to go by one, just in case.”   
  
Lotus nodded, looking up at him. “Whoever brought us here might know us, but we don’t really know each other. It’s better if we continue to call my husband Seven. We can’t afford to be careless—let’s just say that his current job requires a good deal of discretion. Revealing anything to strangers might be extremely dangerous.” She gave a polite half-smile. “And since I’m linked to him, please call me Lotus.” She looked from Sigma to Luna. “So who exactly are you?”  
  
“I’m Luna,” the red haired woman replied with a friendly nod. “I’m terribly sorry to be rude, but I have two very sick people who need my attention. Please excuse me.” Her arms were full of miscellaneous items from the shelves. She gave a slight bow and hurried towards Phi and Dio.  
  
“Luna’s kind of a doctor,” Sigma explained. “And the ones that are sick are Left and Phi. Anyways, I’m Sigma.”   
  
“I am Light, but you may call me Snake if that suits you better,” Light said with a polite nod.  It was so graceful, it gave the impression of a princely bow. “And this is my sister, Clover. We are already acquainted with Lotus, Seven, and Junpei, but it seems this is our first time meeting you, Luna, Left and Phi.”  
  
Clover smiled. “It’s nice to meet so many new people! I just wish I wasn’t in my work clothes.” She wrinkled her nose and straightened her apron. “I’m not really giving off a good impression in this!” Junpei gave a nearly imperceptible frown as he regarded the young woman. She was far too cheerful…  
  
Sigma, however, was staring at Clover for a different reason. His forehead wrinkled as he ran his eyes over the young woman. She frowned deeply and put her hands on her hips.   
  
“Hey, it’s rude to stare!” she snapped. “What’s your problem?” Light turned to Sigma, his eyes still closed.  
  
“I do hope you are not harassing my sister,” he said calmly with a glowing smile. Somehow, his even tone and friendly expression was more chilling to Sigma than if the man had threatened him. He shook his head hurriedly.  
  
“No, no—I just— you’re Clover? You don’t remember me? I mean, I know I look pretty different but I’m still Sigma Klim.” He held up his hand, pointing at the bracelet. “I mean, we went through one of these games together? Ringing a bell?”  
  
The young girl shook her head emphatically. “No, I _ definitely _ don’t know you. And that’s a really bad pick up line.” Her mouth twisted in disgust. “And what’s this about playing a game together? Gross. I’m thinking you’re some kind of pervert.”   
  
Sigma opened his mouth to defend himself when Aoi spoke up. He had stopped a bit away from the group, his arms crossed.   
  
“Don’t take it for granted that you share a past with anyone here. We may not be the same people you think we are.” He had a firm expression as his eyes roamed over the group. He paused, looking at Light and Clover. “You two probably remember me fondly.” He gave a short, bitter smile.  
  
Clover gasped. “Santa!” She turned from Sigma and jumped up again to hurry over to the young man. She stopped, looking him up and down. “You’ve changed your style.” She tilted her head to the side. “I don’t think this suits you very well.” Aoi gave her a bemused expression as she tapped her hand to her cheek. “Oh! I almost forgot—”  
  
The young girl  smiled up at the taller person as  she stepped forward, and let out a short giggle. Without any warning, her hand flew up and  slapped him. The sound echoed throughout the room.   
  
Aoi stepped backwards, his hand drifting unconsciously to his face. He looked completely stunned. Clover walked back up to him, and shook her finger in his face with one hand on her hip. “ _ That _ was for putting me and Light into a Nonary Game.”   
  
She smiled again, and suddenly threw her arms around him. “And _ that _ is for saving June.” She looked around. “Where is she, anyways? I mean she’s got to be here, right?”  
  
“You’re THANKING him?” Lotus interrupted, incredulous. “After that hell he put us through?”  
  
Clover turned to Lotus as she slid her arms from Aoi, whose stunned expression had changed to one of utter bewilderment. She nodded firmly. “I don’t blame him. I would do the same thing for my brother, no matter how many people I had to sacrifice!”   
  
“I’m not sure I follow,” Sigma interjected. “So you were Zero in the game these people played previously?”   
  
“No. I just supported her.” Aoi looked away, his cold eyes scanning the room again. “And I know none of you will believe anything I say, anyways, but I don’t know who’s running this game. It’s not me.”  
  
“What about June—Akane?” Lotus asked, one hand on her hip. Her eyes narrowed. “Do you have any proof you’re not working together?”  
  
Aoi’s eyes fell to the floor as he sat down on another bed. A pained expression crossed them briefly. “Akane… isn’t here.”  
  
Junpei felt his heart beating a bit faster—not out of stress or sadness, but a slow growing excitement. Akane was going to show up. He was absolutely certain. He stayed silent, though—he had no proof but this feeling. And no matter how strong it was, it wouldn't really convince anyone of anything—except, perhaps, that Junpei had finally lost it.  
  
Seven cleared his throat, breaking the moment.   
  
“Anyways, if we’re all introduced, I’d like to start talking about these.” He held out his wrist. Another symbol Sigma didn’t recognize was glowing on its face. “Do you all have these symbols?”   
  
Everyone lifted their wrists and checked their bracelets. “Yeah, it seems so,” Junpei answered. Lotus looked around the group.  
  
“It seems we all have a Zodiac sign,” she said. “I suppose that’s the theme of this game, then.” She frowned. “But they don’t seem to be linked to our real birthdays. At least, not mine or my husband’s.”  
  
“Can’t really call it a Nonary Game then, can we? Maybe a… _Zonary_ Game?” The joke fell flat as the group frowned at Junpei. He shrugged. “Okay, that was a little weak, but—”   
  
Aoi interrupted. “Those doors downstairs are marked with the symbols for the elements. Fire, water, earth, and then I’m assuming air, which is blank.” His icy eyes looked around the gathering. “The doors in this room aren't marked, and they won't open either.  I'm betting they're the exits.  I think we’re supposed to go through the marked doors grouped by each sign’s element.”  
  
“How do you know that?” Lotus snapped, sitting down on a cot by Clover and tugging the hem of her nightshirt down. “That’s not helping your case of being ‘uninvolved.’”  
  
“I said I _ think _ that’s what we’re supposed to do,” Aoi replied, glaring at the woman. “It’s a logical progression of thought, not an unintentional admission of guilt.”  
  
“I agree with Santa,” Sigma quickly said, hoping to diffuse the tension. “Except for one thing. What’s with the Zodiac having elements? I thought they were constellations.”  
  
Lotus rolled her eyes. “Don’t you know anything? Zodiac is a kind of fortune telling. Do I have to spell everything out for you?”  
  
“If I may…?” Light asked politely before Sigma could snap out a comeback. He nodded, and the silver haired man began to explain. “Each Zodiac symbol has both a planet and an element it is associated with.” He held up his wrist and pointed to the bracelet. “For example, my bracelet’s sign of Libra is an air element, and is ruled by the planet Venus. My sister’s is Cancer, which is linked to water, and ruled by the Moon.” He smiled serenely. “Now, if you would all be so kind as to show Clover your bracelets, I can tell you the element for each one.”  
  
Sigma’s brow furrowed in confusion. “That seems kind of awkward, why do we need to show Clover to tell you? Can’t you just tell us by looking at them yourself?”  
  
There was an immediate silence. Lotus reached over and smacked Sigma’s arm, causing him to yelp. “He’s _ blind _ , you idiot!” Seven let out a short chuckle, but his face immediately became blank again as his wife gave him a blood chilling look.   
  
“Ugh, so you’re a pervert AND insensitive,” Clover said, looking disgustedly at Sigma. Her expression changed quickly as she clapped her hands together. “I almost forgot! There’s one more thing. We can take these off!”  
  
“What?” the entire group asked incredulously, almost in unison. Clover grinned.  
  
“It’s super simple!” she said. “There’s a code Junpei used in the last game. I decided to try it on my brother--his arm isn't real so he's fine--and his bracelet popped off. No side effects or anything! Let’s see…” She put her thumb and forefinger on the side of the watch and pressed the buttons on either side back and forth. “Right, left, right, left, right, right, left…. and ta-da!” The cuff dropped out of the bracelet with a tiny beep. She held it up triumphantly.  
  
“Holy shit,” Junpei said, copying her movements. His bracelet, too, popped off. “I can’t believe that worked!”  
  
“Wait,” Clover said. “There’s more! Let me see yours.” She handed her bracelet to Junpei, and held out her hand for his. He handed it to her, and she cuffed it around her wrist. The display lit up. She held it out for everyone to see. “See, even though we switched, I still have the same symbol I had. And so does Junpei!”   
  
“Well, it’s a relief that they’re not going to kill us,” Sigma said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “I mean, probably.  But it’s pointless to trade them if the symbol is somehow linked to the person, not the bracelet.” He paused. “There’ s probably a reason why those specific people have to go through those doors—I mean, assuming  _Santa_ here's hypothesis is correct.”   


“My name is Aoi,” the man snapped, but Sigma pretended not to hear him.  
  
Lotus sighed, rolling her eyes. “I really don’t want to go through this again. But I’m assuming each group needs the full set of symbols to open a door.” She frowned, waving her hand dismissively. “What a pain.”  
  
“That’s a good theory,” Junpei answered.  His excitement was growing as he remembered Akane explaining the symbols on the Gigantic replica to him.  Planets, constellations--these were all things she was interested in.  Everything was pointing towards her. “So, what groups are we going to have?”  
  
“Let me see!” Clover said, looking at everyone’s wrists. “Okay, Sigma’s Leo…”  
  
“That’s fire,” Light explained. “The other fire signs are Sagittarius and Aries.”

  
“I’ve got Aries,” Aoi said. He had pulled his bracelet off and was flipping it around in his hands, studying it closely.  
  
Sigma thought for a moment. “I’m pretty sure Phi said she had Sagittarius. I’m not sure about Left and Luna, though.”  
  
“One of them must, if she doesn't,” Clover said confidently. Light shook his head and crossed his arms thoughtfully.  
  
“Not necessarily. There are only ten of us accounted for, and there are twelve Zodiac signs. Each of the four elements governs three signs.” He put his hand under his chin. “We are missing two people.”  
  
“Hmm, you’re right,” Clover said, frowning. “Well, hopefully they’ll show up, I guess! But let’s determine who’s in the groups we do have right now. Um, okay. Junpei is Taurus, which is um, earth?” She looked at her brother, who nodded.  
  
“Taurus is ruled by the planet Venus as well. The other earth signs are Capricorn and Virgo.”  
  
“Hmm, well those might be the missing two, then—unless Luna or that other guy has one,” Clover said. “Okay, Lotus—”  
  
“I’m Aquarius, an air sign ruled by Uranus and Saturn. Seven is Gemini, which is also an air sign, ruled by Mercury.” She gave a smug smile. “The final air sign is Libra, as Light explained.”  
  
“We have a full group of air, and fire,” Junpei said. “And we need to ask Luna and the others what they have to see if we have any other full groups. Until we have all of the signs, though, we probably shouldn’t open—”  
  
He was interrupted without warning as the room was plunged into darkness.  
  
“Huh?”  
  
“What the heck?”  
  
“This is bullshit!”  
  
“Okay, guys, just stay calm,” Sigma said, feeling around for the cot nearest to him. He sat down carefully. “It just seems like a power outage. Um, anyone got a light—”  
  
He was also cut off, but this time with a deep tone.  
  
 _Gong. Gong. Gong. Gong_. The noise tolled out eleven times, then was silent. Dim lights began to shine from the ceiling, illuminating the room with a faint green light.  
  
Clover let out a sigh of relief. She put her hand on Light’s. “I’m not a fan of power outages, although it doesn’t bother my brother any. Oh, hi Luna!”  
  
Luna smiled as she rejoined the group. She was just barely visible in the darkness. “Um, I gave Phi and Dio some Soporil.” She held out her hand. In it was two spent cartridges from an injection gun. “It’s not the best for pain, but it should put them in a deep sleep for a while. Hopefully that will be enough to break the migraines they seem to be suffering from.”  
  
“Thanks, Luna,” Sigma said. Her face lit up with a shy smile. “Well, those two are out of commission for a while.” He looked up thoughtfully. “And we’re not going to have much luck searching for anything in this dark. Since it got dark just as the clock tolled eleven, I’m betting they’ll turn back on in a few hours. It’s probably set to cycle to imitate days and nights.” He sighed. “So I guess we’ll have to wait until then to explore further.”  
  
“What do you suggest we do now, then?” Lotus asked, waving her hand dismissively. “Play cards? Share bedtime stories?”  
  
“Actually—” Clover stopped to let out a huge yawn—” Sleep sounds pretty good to me. I just got off a twelve hour shift and was napping on the sofa when we got taken. Besides, there’s beds everywhere! Pretty convenient!”  She giggled.  Junpei wrinkled his forehead.  Clover seemed almost _giddy_.  Wasn't anyone else noticing this?

  
“I, too, was dozing,” Light said, crossing his arms. “It seems we have no time limit, and no instructions. Our theory that the doors may open in groups should be tested when the lights return. Although it does not bother me at all, I am fairly certain the rest of you will be a bit stymied by this turn of events.”  
  
Seven chuckled. “You’re sure right about that. I can barely make out your shapes in this darkness. I don’t mind getting some rest. We were also sleeping… had kind of a busy evening.” Lotus smacked his arm. He pretended to flinch dramatically, and she smiled again.  Junpei was glad to see that their intense bickering had turned into playful affection.  Seven's face grew serious as he turned back to the group. “One of us should stay awake to keep watch. Just in case something happens.”  
  
“Good idea,” Sigma said. “Any volunteers?”  
  
Junpei raised his hand. “I don’t mind. I was taken after a full night’s sleep, so I’m ready to go.”  More so, there was no _way_ he was going to be able to sleep with this adrenaline.  
  
Aoi snorted, breaking into the conversation. “I _might_ be able to trust Junpei, but what’s to say the rest of you won’t jump me in my sleep?” He shrugged, turning around. “You can do whatever you want, but I’m going to look around on the other side.”  
  
“Other side?” Sigma asked. Aoi nodded, rolling his eyes.  
  
“Yeah. Didn’t you notice the stairway split in two at the landing? We went up the right staircase to this room. I’m gonna go see what’s there on the left.”  
  
“Would you mind terribly if I accompanied you?” Light asked, standing up. “I feel energetic as well, and would also like to see what lies there.”  
  
“Do whatever you want,” Aoi said, shrugging again. Light placed a hand on Clover’s shoulder, giving it a small squeeze. She looked up at him with a worried expression.  
  
“It shall be fine, Clover. Please take this time to get some rest.” She looked down.  
  
“Just.. be careful, okay?” He nodded.  
  
“Rest well.” The two men walked towards the exit.  
  
Sigma sighed, watching them go. “That Santa guy kind of gets on my nerves.”  
  
Junpei looked to the floor. “Aoi… he’s kinda… been through a lot. “ He looked back up and around the room. “Well, I’ll try to stay on my feet but not make too much noise.”  
  
“Excuse me,” Luna said. “I also volunteer for guard duty. After all, I have patients to look after. The rest of you should rest.”  
  
Sigma made a quick grin. Of course, Luna didn’t need to sleep. He frowned as a thought came to him. Luna had said her brain was in the central computer of the Rhizome. If they weren’t in the Rhizome—which it _seemed_ like they weren’t—she should be having more trouble functioning, or be unable to move at all. He was surprised as a huge yawn pulled out of him, pushing the thoughts away. “Okay. Just wake me up if anything happens. _Especially_ if Left starts causing trouble.”  
  
Luna nodded with a smile. “Of course. Please rest well!” She walked back towards Phi and Dio.  
  
“Well, seems it’s nap time for the rest of us,” Seven said. He looked at the cots surrounding them and scratched his head. “Um, I’m gonna have to move a few of these beds together—that okay?”  
  
“No, we’re suffering a bed shortage,” Clover said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes. Seven let out a snort.  
  
“I almost forgot how sassy you could be.” He smiled as Clover shrugged, and then yawned again. She flopped down on the thin mattress.  
  
“Well, goodnight everyone. Oh, and pervert man—You better not try anything!”  
  
Sigma held out his hands innocently. “I told you, you just remind me of someone—” He stopped talking as she rolled over and showed her back to him, reminding him of an offended cat. He frowned back at her, then sat down on another cot. It wasn’t particularly comfortable, but he was surprised with how quickly his eyelids started to droop.  
  
“Night, everybody,” Junpei said as he began to walk around the room.  
  
Sigma let out a deep sigh, and soon fell into a dreamless sleep.

  
  


  
  


 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so grateful for all the positive feedback. Seriously, I want to print it out and put it on my wall so every time I'm feeling sad I can instantly feel better. <3 <3 <3 I'm gonna try to keep up a busy pace! :D


	8. Aoi, Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You introduced yourself as Aoi. But are you really Aoi Kurashiki?”

Aoi Kurashiki walked down the top flight of the elegant, Y-shaped staircase. Sconces set into the wall cast low light over the  steps . He paused on the landing and peered down to the bottom. The room below was dark, and he couldn’t see past the last stair. He wondered briefly if the room even still existed in that darkness, or if it had vanished into nothingness.   
  
He let out a derisive snort at his imagination. It wouldn’t matter, anyways. _ Nothing _ had mattered to him for a long time, it wasn’t anything he should feel any fear towards.  
  
The footsteps behind him stopped, and he turned to observe Light Field gazing out into the darkness as well—actually, _ appearing _ to gaze, Aoi reminded himself. He’d never mentioned it—not any of the times the two had met—but he found it more than a little unnerving. There was something just _ off _ about someone who could move completely uninhibited while lacking a sense others absolutely depended on. And those were the thoughts of an Esper— _ former _ esper, he thought, clenching his jaw a little tighter.

“I am assuming that the lights are not on anywhere but the staircase, is that correct?” the taller man asked as he turned towards Aoi, who nodded. Light smiled. “I’m assuming also that you are nodding your head.”  
  
“Oh. Yeah. The main room’s dark. I can’t see if the room up there is, though. It kind of curves off into a hallway, I think.” He turned back towards the left flight of stairs and began to walk up it.  
  
He felt a stray hair slide against his cheek, and he pushed it back behind his ear. It seemed his severe hairstyle was coming undone. What a pain. He’d always found his hair difficult to control. Akane had complimented him when he finally settled into a punk look as a teenager. She’d helped pull the wild white mess back under two of her black hairbands, clapping her hands in delight at the outcome. _It suits you! Kinda wild, but still controlled. So it’s perfect!_  
  
Thinking about the past irritated him—not just annoyance, it physically _hurt_. He had two sets of memories. One set was of a life with his cheerful, understanding sister with him, sharing thoughts as well as experiences, and one set was of a life alone. The pair dueled in his mind, each one definitively real, up until the point when Gentarou Hongou had stabbed the life from his sister, and severed the most important link he ever had.  From there, it was one life. One memory. Alone.

He realized he’d reached the top of the stairs already, and glanced back. Light was following him quietly. The soft golden light coming from the sconces set high in the walls over the stairs gave the man an ethereal look. The old fashioned dusty blue waistcoat he wore, added with his poise and the elegant setting, made him seem almost like a painting come to life.   
  
He hadn’t looked like that when they first met, Aoi remembered. The gangly teenager had been more closed off, insecure, and hadn’t dressed anywhere near as fashionably. He remembered Akane had still been impressed by the young man. Her hand had been clenched tightly in his as she regarded everyone with a friendly smile despite her fear. When Light Field had introduced himself to the group, she’d squeezed it. _ We can trust him! I’m sure of it, _ she’d reassured Aoi without words. She’d been right. Light had been dependable, and a source of calm in that terror. Aoi had begun to recognize him based on his soft aura rather than his appearance as they traversed the Gigantic together, and had considered him a trusted ally of himself and his sister.  
  
But Akane wasn’t here anymore, and gone with her was his ability to sense anything other than the basic information fed to him by his five senses. He didn’t feel calmness or strength emanating from the other man, simply the empty silence that existed between him and every other human since she had died. And like Akane, Light Field was also dead, according to his memories. He wondered why that didn’t bother him more.  
  
Aoi nodded as he looked down the corridor. “Yeah. It curves back into a hallway. It’s still partially lit, too, about the same as it is here.” He peered further down, narrowing his eyes. “Seems mostly empty, but I think that there’s a door on the left side at the end, maybe a couple hundred yards down.”  
  
“Then that shall be our destination,” Light replied, reaching the top beside him. They turned and began to proceed down the passageway.  
  
“Do you have any theories as to why the lights were dimmed?” Light asked as they walked. He brushed his fingers against the molded wood decorating the walls and pulled them back thoughtfully. “I’m not sure I am convinced of Sigma’s theory on a night-day timer. I have only been in the hospital room, the stairway, and this corridor, but the style seems to be quite old fashioned, like the Gigantic was. It seems an odd place to have something as modern as a lighting cycle implemented, wouldn’t you agree?”  
  
“Dunno,” Aoi replied with a brief shrug. _ No more odd than the dead man talking to me _ . He focused on the wall. It had the same polished paneling that the Gigantic—and the replica of the Gigantic—had, but it wasn’t a wall from a place he’d recognized. It didn’t surprise him, since he’d known the minute he and Junpei had brute-forced the doors open that this wasn’t anywhere he’d been before. Light had seemed to pick up on that quickly as well. He wondered what else the man had noticed.  
  
“I also find it interesting how quickly the others were willing to sleep in a strange place. It doesn’t seem particularly wise.” Light continued to talk, unbothered by Aoi’s short response. He got the feeling that the serene man was perfectly aware that Aoi was not going to join the conversation, and was content to speak to him anyways—like an adult with a petulant teenager. It irritated him.  
  
“If you’re so worried, why aren’t you back there with your sister now?” he snapped in reply. The words came out harsher than he’d intended, especially as he heard Clover’s anguished scream ringing through his head again. That sound, followed by the young woman crumpling to the floor as red erupted from her chest, was the last thing he remembered before he had lost consciousness. He grit his teeth, trying to force out the unbidden memory.  
  
Light seemed unshaken by his hostility. “Clover will be fine. She is with one I trust, and I will know if she is in any danger.” He stopped walking, and turned to face Aoi fully. The shorter man almost took a surprised step backwards. Light’s expression was unchanged, but his posture was cold and his tone was different—it was no longer smooth and congenial. “I would think you of all people would be aware of why.”  
  
“What are you talking about?” Aoi said, quickly turning away to hide his discomfort. “Yeah, you’re Espers. So what.” He waved dismissively as he started to walk again. He saw the soft, warm bond between the two siblings in his mind again, the bond that was so similar to his and Akane’s. He ground his teeth again, trying to focus on the hallway. The door was only several yards away now.  
  
“That’s correct,” Light replied, matching his step to Aoi’s easily. “We share a bond similar to the one between Aoi and Akane Kurashiki.” There was no trace of friendliness in his voice now.  
  
Aoi was the one to stop this time. They were very close to the end of the hallway, but he was suddenly much more curious as to what the implied accusation in the other man’s voice was. “What are you talking about?” he repeated, glaring up into Light’s face.   
  
The taller man continued, his tone firm and cold, yet completely devoid of any emotion.  
  
“I am speaking of Aoi and Akane Kurashiki.” He crossed his arms. In anyone else, the gesture may have appeared defensive, but to Light, it was simply a casual pose he happened to take. “The pair I have survived two Nonary Games with. I am _ very _ familiar with these two.”  
  
Aoi swallowed, feeling a strange lump of dread settling in his throat. His glare withered and died. Light continued speaking, taking a step forward. “Aoi and Akane Kurashiki had a very unique bond, much stronger than any of the other players, even stronger than that of myself and Clover. It is a bond I would recognize anywhere after our experiences together.”   
  
Aoi stepped backwards, and his heel clipped the wall behind him. Light took another step forward. “It is a bond _you_ lack.”   
  
The blind man’s eyes shot halfway open, and Aoi froze as the blank orbs stared through him. He jumped as Light’s hand suddenly slapped the wall next to his head, cornering him. His voice was low, sharp, and intense as he leaned forward.  
  
“You introduced yourself as Aoi. Others, including Clover, recognized you as such. But are you _ really _ Aoi Kurashiki?”

He felt frozen under the man’s gaze. The question echoed through him, and his mind began to race with it.  
  
He began to speak and then stopped, unable. _Of course I am Aoi…. aren’t I? I haven’t felt like Aoi for a long time now…_  
  
He opened and closed his mouth a few more times before he managed to form words. “Y-yeah. I am.” He swallowed, then continued, more confidently. “I _am_ Aoi Kurashiki. I just… there’s a lot to explain, alright?”  
  
He let out a puff of air and leaned back against the wall. “I’m not really surprised you’d have some doubts, to be honest. After all, it’s impossible for you to be Light Field, but I get the feeling you genuinely are.”  
  
Light pulled back, and his face settled back into his placid smile as his arms fell to rest at his sides. “I would be delighted to hear your explanation of events, Aoi. Especially as to why I could not be myself.”  
  
Aoi shuffled his feet and looked to the side as he formed his response. He crossed his arms. “I had kind of a similar experience with Junpei earlier. I have a theory, but I’m not sure of anything.” He looked back up at Light. “I think we’re from alternate worldlines. Because in his, Akane… is fine, but in mine… she’s gone.”  
  
“Gone,” Light repeated, bringing his hand to his chin thoughtfully. “You mean deceased.”  
  
Aoi nodded, his shoulders slumping. “Yeah. So are you, actually. Everyone from the Game but me and that _fucking_ monster.” He sighed. “I guess I’d care more about being suddenly surrounded by dead people, but without Akane… it’s kind of hard to care about anything.”  
  
“What happened?” Light asked. Any traces of hostility were gone from his voice. Aoi shrugged, his face twisting into a scowl.  
  
“Probably the same as you remember, up to a certain point. We were exploring the area before the final doors when there was some commotion. Hongou had gotten a knife from somewhere. He took out Seven and Lotus without anybody noticing, and then he got me. Junpei and… and Akane surprised him, so he only stabbed me once, I guess…” His eyes darted from side to side as he remembered. There was a roaring in his ears.  
  
“And then myself and Clover were killed?” Light asked calmly. He tapped his thumb on the side of his chin.  
  
“Yeah.” Aoi swallowed again, and the roaring dimmed. “You were stabbed first. The last thing I remember was seeing Clover fall.” He rubbed his arms. “And then I woke up a while later to Seven slapping me. He was bad off. He definitely wasn’t going to make it, but he’d somehow managed to crawl up to try and help anyone who had survived. He was able to bind me up and get me moving, but…” He trailed off.  
  
Light waited silently. Aoi shut his eyes and opened them again, shivering off the memories. “Anyways, I got out. Hongou had no idea about my bracelet, he just grabbed the first ones that would fit the puzzle. He didn’t _need_ to kill everyone, but he did.” He scowled again. “I never saw him again. I don’t think I even tried. I was just kind of… stumbling through life after that. I didn’t have a purpose. I don’t even know what I was doing to get by. And then I woke up here.”  
  
“I see,” Light said simply. A short while paused as the man seemed to absorb the information.  
  
After a few minutes, he looked up at Aoi. “You do not seem as concerned as I would expect upon finding several corpses alive and well. Do you have any questions for me?”  
  
Aoi shrugged. “Not really,” he replied. “I mean, Akane’s… alive in your world, right? You might be from the same one as Junpei. And that was one where everything worked out the way it should’ve. It’s pretty easy for me to imagine it, since I was working so hard to make it happen.”  
  
Light nodded. “The last we saw Akane, she was leaving with you. If that is what Junpei remembers, then I would also draw the conclusion we are from the same, or a very similar, timeline.” His face seemed to become gentler for a moment. “I assume you lack the… aura, because of her death?”  
  
Aoi snorted. “Yup, I’m a fucking mundane now, too.” He gave the other man a bitter smile. “I can’t do any psychic stuff or whatever fucking Cradle wanted us for. Just your run of the mill asshole now, I guess.”  
  
The men were silent as Light thought for another few minutes, quietly tapping his chin. Finally he straightened.  
  
“We have already agreed we were brought here for a reason, correct?” Light turned his head towards the door. “I believe we need more information before we can form a good theory as to what that reason might be. Shall we continue?”  
  
Aoi nodded. “Yeah. I… I have a—a hope or a wish, whatever you wanna call it…. that Akane might be behind this.” His face was vulnerable for a moment. “And maybe… maybe it’s because she needs me to save her again.”  
  
Light gave him a gentle smile. “I do not doubt that you will see your sister again. She is quite an intriguing woman.”  
  
 _Is_. Not was. Aoi grinned, feeling a long dead fire inside him slowly blazing up.  “Yeah. Yeah, she really is.”

  
  


  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AW SNAP, HERE'S THE NEXT CHAPTER posted before you can forget about this fic. :D Thanks as always to drkurashiki who is the best beta in the universe. I'm so excited people are enjoying this aaah~


	9. Junpei

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Why are you so obsessed with finding her?”

Junpei had been wandering around the large room for what felt like hours, filled with nervous energy. There wasn’t much to see besides the rows and rows of similar beds and the occasional shelves placed between them. He couldn’t really tell what was on the shelves in the dim green light, so the young man decided not to touch them. He checked the doors along the back wall, confirming again that they would not open.  
  
Junpei sighed and stretched, then decided to check out the staircase. The last time he’d peered out, it had been dimly lit, and the room downstairs was almost completely black. He began to walk through the room again.  
  
The group was scattered throughout the area. Clover and Sigma were towards the middle where everyone had been talking earlier, and Seven and Lotus were curled up on three beds pushed together to accommodate Seven’s enormous body. Junpei was surprised to find that the snoring wasn’t coming from the huge man. He made a mental note to never, _ever_ mention it to Lotus, unless he got a sudden death wish.  
  
Phi was by the door, and a few beds over was Dio— _er, didn’t Sigma call him Left?_ Junpei shrugged mentally. He was hoping he wouldn’t have to spend enough time around the man to have to use his name. Something about him seemed to scream ‘ _untrustworthy!_ ' The blond man hadn't moved since he had faceplanted into the bed.  
  
He walked past Phi and glanced at Luna, who was sitting on a bed between Phi and Dio. Luna had her knees pulled up and her head resting in her arms on top of them. It looked like she had fallen asleep. The kind woman was probably more exhausted than she had realized when she volunteered to keep watch.  
  
Junpei smiled to himself. “Looks like I’m the best watchman.” He looked at his bracelet and his grin widened. “Literally, a _watch-man_!”   
  
No one was awake or nearby to laugh at his pun , and he let out a sigh as he walked out of the room to the stairs. He sat down on the landing, looking into the darkness of the large room. He couldn’t see the door he and Aoi had come through. That was another thing that was nagging at him. They had tried everything they could think of to fix the machine, but it wouldn’t turn on. Finally, out of sheer desperation, he’d stuck his fingers in the crack of the doors and began to pull—and was stunned when they actually began to open.  
  
He looked at his bracelet as he thought. The Zodiac symbol glowed with a calm blue light. He couldn’t remember anything about astrology—even though Akane had taught him with enthusiasm one afternoon when classes had let out. Clover had said it was Taurus, an Earth sign, but why had he been matched with it? He wasn’t sure if it was the sign Akane had said matched his birthday.  
  
He gave a sardonic half grin. He couldn’t remember all of his school days, but he clearly remembered almost every moment of the Nonary Game with perfect clarity—as if he’d memorized it, or repeated it over and over until it was burned into his mind. He remembered how Akane had felt when he caught her, burning with fever. The purple shade of her eyes, and her sweet smile. And the way they had linked minds to solve the final puzzle.  
  
It sounded like something out of a terrible science fiction movie, or a really bad paranormal romance novel.He let out a short sigh. And he hadn’t seen her since…  
  
 _“Why are you so obsessed with finding her?_ ” Lotus had snapped, the first time he’d met with her and Seven after the game. He’d paused, fork midway to his mouth. It seemed a very stupid question to him, but when he went to put it into words, he realized he couldn’t.  
  
The older woman hadn’t paused in her scolding to let him think, however. “You don’t seem interested in revenge or anything petty. You have all the answers you need about _why_ , don’t you?” She’d thumped her hands on the table, leaning over to look at him with a glare. “Is this just about a childhood crush, Junpei? Are you turning into a stalker?”  
  
Seven had laughed. He’d already finished two plates of the spaghetti Lotus had made and was starting on a third. (“ _Baby steps_ ,” he’d told Junpei with a wink as Lotus went into the kitchen to get the pot. “ _If she can do ramen, this shouldn’t be much harder_.”) “You’re being too harsh on the kid.” He leaned back. “You know, I still have my cop senses, and if you get too creepy, Junpei, I’ll let you know.”  
  
“Is it _love_?” Ennea spoke up, her eyes wide as she pressed her hand to her mouth to hide her grin. Junpei blushed. Lotus’s daughters were drop dead gorgeous, with all of their mother’s … assets, but thankfully without her taste in fashion. They both had long, silky black hair—Nona’s pulled up in a ponytail, and Ennea’s braided into a stylish messy bun. It was the only way he could tell them apart besides their clothing. Nona put her elbows on the table and set her face in her hands.  
  
“You know, I used to dream about a prince who would come rescue me from a terrible dragon,” the girl said dreamily. “He’d come riding in, sword in hand, and fight his way to the top of the tower I was imprisoned in, and then—”  
  
“You’d push him out the window, sword and all, because the dragon was actually your pet,” Ennea said, giggling. Nona poked her side.  
  
“Shut _up_ ,” she said without malice. She turned back to Junpei, who was wondering exactly what type of bedtime stories Lotus had told them as children. “No, it would be the whole Disney romance, ending with a beautiful wedding. And then… I dunno. I never thought about after that.” She pursed her lips and twisted a strand of hair around one finger as she thought. “It kinda seems to me that you’re done fighting your way up the tower, but you never got to open the door to the last room.”  
  
“Hmm, yeah,” Nona chimed in, picking up Ennea’s line of thought easily. Her expression mirrored her twin’s as she tapped a finger on her lips. “So it’s kinda like, you didn’t get the princess in the end, or even to _see_ her.”  
  
“Women are not prizes to be won,” Lotus scolded, rapping the wooden serving spoon on the table. “I raised you better than that, girls.”  
  
The girls shared a sideways look and giggled. Junpei had the feeling they were sharing a joke without words. Nona shook her head. “No, Mom, not like _that_. Um, it’s more like…”  
  
“It’s kinda like… he was waiting to ask her out, and then she moved away,” Ennea said. Nona nodded. Junpei tried to hide his embarrassed flush. It wasn’t _kinda_ like that, it was _exactly_ like that in the time before the game had started. “So if we stick with the dragon analogy—”  
  
“It’s like Mario! ‘ _I’m sorry, but your princess is in another castle!’_ ” Nona interrupted excitedly. Ennea rolled her eyes.   
  
“You’re such a _nerd_ ,” she said. “Nobody’s gonna get that reference!”  
  
“Wait, I do!” Seven said. “That old video game, right? Yeah, I know that one! I grew up with the first one, you know?” He smiled, shaking his head as he reminisced. “Yeah, the graphics nowadays are way beyond that.”  
  
“ _Anyways_ ,” Nona said in an irritated voice that sounded uncannily like her mother, “It’s like you opened the door to the tower and the princess wasn’t even _there_. So of course you have to find her, otherwise what were you fighting for?”  
  
“Don’t even start, Mom,” Ennea said as Lotus opened her mouth. “We’re assuming that he’s gonna just ask her out, not like, drag her away if it turns out she’s happy in the tower, y’know? Junpei seems like a better guy than that.” She giggled. “If you weren’t already set on someone, I’d ask you out myself!”  
  
“Not if I did first,” Nona retorted. Junpei felt him flushing all the way to the tips of his ears. He thought Lotus had been tough, but her daughters were much more than he could handle. Seven winked at him from across the table unsympathetically. He remembered that the other man had to live with this, and wondered how he could manage it.  
  
“So anyways, it’s like that, right?” Nona asked, her eyes glittering with excitement. “You want to talk to the princess, and see where things happen from there?  If she turns you down, you better call me!”  
  
Junpei had wiggled in his seat, trying to think of a way to explain it…  
  
… and he still couldn’t, sitting here by himself on the steps so many years later. He let out a sigh. He hadn’t really thought about what would happen after he finally saw her again. Would just talking to her be enough? Did he expect to live happily ever after in a normal life with someone as complex as Akane? Was finding her really as shallow as a schoolboy crush that had never really gone away?   


  
Junpei shook away the thoughts and stood up again, stretching. He still wasn’t tired at all. There was a nervous energy running through him. It wasn’t fear from being in a strange place—he was still surprised at how little that seemed to bother everyone—but… he finally put a word to it.  
  
 _Anticipation_.  
  
He knew Akane was going to show up. And he _still_ didn’t know what it was he wanted to say to her.  
  
He turned, getting ready to walk back up the stairs to the hospital room, when he heard the gears in the clock on the landing shift. It began to ring, the noise so loud he thought he could feel himself shaking.  
  
Twelve notes tolled. It was midnight.  
  
Junpei felt himself freeze. The echoes of the chimes were still fading, but he could hear another sound. It was coming from the empty room at the bottom of the stairs. He listened without turning around, his breathing growing shallower as he ~~~~strained his ears.  
  
The noise continued, growing slightly louder. There was no mistake. They were light footsteps.  
  
He slowly turned around, putting a hand on the bannister for balance. He could see a form taking shape in the darkness, and then, as if stepping out of the fog, she was there.  
  
He swallowed hard as their eyes met, brown to violet. He didn’t have a single doubt in his mind.  
  
Akane Kurashiki was standing at the bottom of the steps, looking up at him, the way he had looked at her three years ago.  

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone for your positive feedback! :D


	10. Luna

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Doctor… I’m so frightened…”

When he’d entered the hospital room, Dio had flung himself on the closest mattress he could find. His hat fell to the floor and his long blond hair became disheveled as he burrowed his face into the thin material. Luna was surprised and worried at how off guard he seemed—it didn’t mean that he _trusted_  any of them, far from it. It meant he was in too much pain to be guarding against them.    
  
Phi was in even worse condition. She had barely moved from the position Sigma had set her down in, only twitching in pain occasionally. She didn’t say anything as Luna explained that she would be injecting her with Soporil, but her body relaxed slowly afterwards and her breathing became slow and even. Luna gently brushed the small woman’s silver hair away to press her hand to her forehead. She still had a fever, but it wasn’t anywhere near as bad as it had been. 

She turned to Dio, slightly nervous. Although he hadn’t been violent to her directly—at least in this timeline—she still had to remember that this was a dangerous man, who had entered the Rhizome without any hesitations about killing one or all of its inhabitants. Seeing Sigma had reminded her of this, and warned her not to trust her instinctive urge to help others without worrying about the consequences. Still…

Dio had rolled over slightly at her approach to peer suspiciously from one eye. He looked so _strange_   without his hat, she thought briefly. She held out the injection gun so he was able to see it.    
  
“I found Soporil. It’s what I just gave Phi. Is it alright for you?”  
  
He looked at the gun dispassionately, then shrugged. Luna decided to take the motion as consent, and knelt beside the cot.  

She had carefully reached to pull his sleeve aside to give the injection when his hand darted out and grabbed her wrist. She tried to stifle a gasp of surprise, and he released it immediately—as if the touch had burned him.  
  
“Hey. You sure that’s Soporil?” he demanded, glaring up at her through his messy blond hair. “Seems awfully convenient for it to just   _appear_   here, especially since I know it’s your favorite thing to stick people with.”  
  
Luna’s face fell, and she looked to the side. “It… It has the standard label, so I am confident that it is the correct drug.” She sighed. “You have a point, with how mysterious this place is, I can’t be absolutely certain. However, Phi reacted as anyone injected with Soporil would. Does that ease your fears a bit?”

He flopped back down onto the mattress. He shrugged his coat from his shoulder to expose his arm. There were several angry red needle marks in his pale skin already. A wave of guilt washed over her. She had been the one to put them there. Luna stopped, a hand resting briefly on her necklace. “Dio… I  _am_  sorry about that. It’s… not something I was happy about doing, but…”  
  
“Yeah, well, happy or not, you still did,” the man snapped. His shoulders slumped as he let out a deep breath, and she sensed he was out of energy to argue. “Just… just do it, okay?” He paused. “Oh, and while I’m knocked out, do me a favor.”

“What is it?” she asked. He jerked his head towards the group standing rather far off in the center of the room.  
  
“Keep those guys away from me.  _Especially_ Sigma.”  
  
“What?” she asked, startled. Dio rolled his eyes.  
  
“Don’t be fucking naive. We’re not friends here.” He scowled, an expression that was far from intimidating on his pale, exhausted face. His hand closed around the bracelet protectively. “If they fucking cut off my hand or kill me or something, I’ll—I’ll fucking  _haunt_  you, you got that?”  
  
It was to Luna’s great credit that she didn’t laugh (out loud, at least) at the ridiculous threat. She nodded. “I’ll be watching over you.” Her face blossomed into a sweet smile. “After all, you’re my patient now, so I’m in charge of you, okay? No one can do anything to you without my permission.”  


He rolled his eyes and dug his head back into the thin cotton. “Whatever. I don’t care.” His body tensed as another wave of pain washed over him.  
  
Luna hurried to press the gun against his bare skin, then pulled the trigger. She waited and watched as his breathing fell into a calm pattern. His face took on the relaxed expression of someone in a deep sleep. Just then, the room was plunged into darkness.  
  
She was only briefly alarmed as pale green backup lights kicked on around the sides.   _A day-night cycle?_   It was unexpected, but not impossible.  Luna hurried over and spoke with the rest of the group, receiving a few updates about their situation and their plan to rest, and then returned to her patients.    
  
Phi had a serene expression on her place, and her forehead was finally cool. Luna unwrapped her top skirt again and gently placed it over the small woman.   _This outfit has proven to be useful_ , she thought with a smile as she tucked it around Phi.   

She turned back to Dio, and her eyebrows knitted together. She would have to assume his fever was fading as Phi’s had—he had such a strong reaction to even the smallest touch, she felt guilty even thinking about doing it when he was helpless. It wasn’t as if it was any kind of accurate measurement, anyways. Luna shoved the thought away. She didn’t want to think about how half-no, more than half—of her knowledge was inaccessible. Instead, she focused on the blond man sleeping.  
  
 _He looks so… unthreatening, s_ he thought to herself as she perched on the bed between his and Phi’s.   _Like he could be just an ordinary person, not a murderer or cultist. But he is…_    
  
Would he try to harm them here, too? She wasn’t sure. After all, he’d harassed them at the Rhizome for a very specific mission—to disrupt the Nonary game by any means necessary. But if they weren’t playing a Nonary Game with the same purpose, she couldn’t predict what he would do. Would he try to contact his cult leader for further instructions, or would he just guess that violence was required anyways? Or maybe he’d take revenge on her for keeping him prisoner, since Ms. Kurashiki wasn’t here for him to vent his anger on. Or he might even attack Sigma…  

Luna bit her lip as her thoughts began to race, one anxiety overtaking another, around and around and around. She tried to keep her thoughts on her patients. What if that  _hadn’t_   been the right thing to give to them? It had been all she could find, true—the shelves had held perhaps a hundred little Soporil canisters, neatly lined up in a very inconvenient way. A tiny bump would have sent them all rolling to the floor. The only other things on the shelves had been the single injection gun, and a few bottles of what was marked as water.    
  
And that was another problem—could she trust those labels? What if this   _wasn’t_   Soporil? What if she’d injected Phi or Dio with something else, something horrible and deadly? She should have   _known_ —as a GAULEM, she was   _designed_   to know—she should have been able to confirm the contents, looked them up in the massive archives—but she couldn’t access anything, or even remember the way she used to.

Luna closed her eyes tightly and hugged her knees to herself as she tried to silence the voices of self-doubt. She had to keep it together. If she could stay active for at least another day, until they went back down to the doors, there would definitely be a way she could help Sigma. He would someday become the most important person in her short life, and as long as she could devote the rest of her life to helping him, it wouldn’t be so bad to die… right? And whoever had planned this game would want to keep her awake for at least that long, otherwise, why bother giving her a bracelet?   
  
Her thoughts were interrupted as footsteps approached. She looked up to see Junpei smiling at her with a small wave.  
  
“Hey, I’m gonna go check the stairs—you okay?” His large brown eyes were concerned. She gave him a reassuring smile.  
  
“Oh yes, I'm fine. I’ll keep an eye on things here.” The young man gave her a friendly grin.

“Well, you should probably use both!” he said before turning towards the door. She tilted her head to the side in confusion before she understood the terrible joke. It—it  _was_  a joke, right?  
  
Despite his questionable humor, Junpei’s warm presence had reassured her a bit. It would be okay. It  _had_  to be, logically! It was silly of her to worry. She remembered how carefully the Doctor and Ms. Kurashiki had planned out their Nonary Game. Whoever had created this one would have absolutely done the same. There was no reason for her to think otherwise. And since that had to be true, it was also true that they wouldn’t kill off any of the players before it started. Unless… She remembered Ms. Kurashiki’s instructions to her. “ _If I am killed, Luna, you will move my body into an AB Room…_ “

  
She clapped her hands to the sides of her face lightly to break the thoughts. It was no good to let her mind wander like that! She’d be useless if she spent all of her energy thinking about things that   _might_   be, that   _might_  happen. The auburn haired woman let out a deep breath and tried to clear her head. She focused on trying to shut off her thoughts, dismissing them one by one. Slowly, Luna’s eyes began to close.

Her eyes opened.  
  
Something was wrong.  
  
She sat up—slower than she anticipated—and surveyed the entire room in alarm. Nothing seemed to have changed, other than the small movements her companions made as they slept. The faint green-tinted light showed everyone to be in about the same places they had lain down in. Junpei wasn’t present, but he’d told her he was going to examine the hallway and stairs before, so it was likely he was there again. She wasn’t worried about him. His lack of presence wasn’t what felt so…   _wrong_ .  
  
Something else was different, she wasn’t certain what. Her senses were straining—the ones she could access, at least— as they tried to discern it.  
  
The clock tolling answered her.  
  
 _GONG. GONG. GONG._  
  
Three tolls.  
  
Luna’s hand shakily wrapped around her necklace. Her breathing became uneven as the implications of the noise began to sink in. 

She could remember the clock tolling for eleven, when the lights had gone down, and then again at midnight, and then… nothing.  
  
She had lost time.  
  
Her fingers began to hurt and she loosened them. Dark red indentations from her necklace were marked into her shaking hand.   _Lost time_ . That meant she was losing power. She had to be running on emergency backup by now—and this meant one thing for certain—she was nowhere near the safety of the Rhizome. She wouldn’t be able to simply recharge when the power ran out completely, or store her memories—her   _entire_   self—into the main computer until Dr. Klim could fix her.  
  
And that meant she was going to die— _really_  die, with no hope of resurrection.

She swallowed, hard. There was a strange lump in her throat—or perhaps she’d just convinced herself there  _should_  be one. She’d read too many human stories. She had forgotten sometimes that she really wasn’t a real person, and that she would not die like one, either.

What would it be like? She’d read about how humans had many different beliefs for after their bodies ceased to function; heavens and hells or reincarnations. Ms. Kurashiki, the Doctor, and Phi all seemed to have their own way of avoiding death, she wasn’t sure what it was that they did even though Dr. Klim had explained the basics to her. But what of death for a GAULEM? Would there simply be nothing—like the lost time she’d just experienced, only without ever waking up from it again?   
  
If that was how it was going to be, she could try to accept it—if only she wasn’t abandoning her family. If only she could see them one more time, apologize for all her failures, let them know how much she loved them—even though her love wasn’t   _real_ , she still wanted—needed— them to know. Her beloved Doctor, Kyle, and even Ms. Kurashiki and Lagomorph… her small, beloved family...  
  
She dropped her head to her knees. She wrapped her arms around her legs again, squeezing herself into a small ball. 

  
“Doctor… I’m so frightened…”

 

 


	11. Dio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Wh—what the hell’s going on here?”

Dio opened his eyes and let out a relieved sigh. He wasn’t in pain anymore, and better yet, he was home. He had spent so much time in the compound, buried deep underground—hidden from those who would harm them and safe from the radiation above—that it would be impossible for him to forget what it looked like. So it had all been a dream—and a strange one at that. The content, however, was irrelevant; it was merely his brain piecing together various thoughts into a hackneyed quilt as it tried to make sense of them all.  
  
The Myrmidon  stood up from his cot and stretched.  He looked down and frowned at himself.  He ’d fallen asleep in his robes, and that was against the rules. ‘ _ To live in Utopia, we must first create Utopia _ ,’ Brother had said, a million times over. Laziness, slovenliness, and other small transgressions prevented a full Utopia from forming, but they were close—especially now, since he’d stopped the attempt to change the past.  
  
The blond man let out a deep breath as he tugged at his clothing. Perhaps no one would notice. After all, they all dressed and looked exactly the same, so someone examining another Myrmidon in close detail wasn’t particularly likely. However, he was Left, the leader, the epitome of what a Myrmidon should be. He had an example to set for all the others to follow _ exactly _ .  
  
He walked out of the portal leading into the hall. It was empty, and he assumed the others were still sleeping. It was wrong of him to be awake and moving before the others, he was breaking the harmony—as usual. It seemed to be another example of his individuality, another one of the traits he was trying so desperately to quash. He headed to the dressing room, just outside of the washroom. If they were all sleeping, he could easily switch his wrinkled robe into someone else’s spotless ones, and let _ them _ take the fall for carelessness. Dio smiled. He loved it when things came together for him like that.  
  
Leaving the washroom looking exactly as a spotless Myrmidon should, Dio headed down the long tunnels for the chapel, where a recording of Brother played each morning. He had only met him a few times, and they were his best and worst memories. The first was when Brother had tested him, then chosen him to lead the Myrmidons. He had been so proud of that position. He knew the others were jealous, but they could not express it. Negative emotions were forbidden in their newborn utopia. Pride was too, but there was a small, selfish part in Dio ‘s brain that refused to be humble. He had hid it well, Brother himself hadn’t noticed—or perhaps he had, and decided to forgive that flaw.   
  
A frown spread across his face as he remembered the next meaningful memory. He had been dragged in front of Brother, and made to confess his crime. He had begged and begged for forgiveness, but Brother was unwavering. He would be punished, and his position as leader was stricken from him.  
  
He avoided the memory of the punishments themselves. It wasn’t important to remember the torture, just the lesson it had taught him. And he had learned his lesson very well, and was truly disappointed that he did something so awful, so against their way of life. Failing Brother again was the worst thing he could imagine.  
  
He moved on to the most recent memory. It was another one he was proud of. Brother offering redemption, and sending him on the important mission to stop the Nonary Game. And he’d succeeded— _ wait _ .   
  
Images flashed through his brain. _ The bombs had gone off. _ No _ , they hadn’t, but he’d escaped, leaving the others trapped there. He’d been suffocated?  _ No _ , he’d stabbed someone else- _ - _ no _ —   
  
His head began to pound furiously as he remembered multiple failures, multiple deaths— _ it’s not real _ , he told himself.   
  
Dio fell to his knees, covering his face with his hands as the pain beat incessantly against the inside of his head. _ It’s not real. It’s not real. _ It’s not real _. I succeeded. I HAD to _ —A soft noise brought him back to his senses, and he lifted his head as the pain dimmed slightly.  
  
Three Myrmidons were walking down the corridor. He stood up quickly, hoping they had not noticed his distress, and bowed a greeting. One of them glanced at him, and then hurried to look the other way. The other two did not acknowledge him at all. Their matching eyes stared straight ahead.  
  
 _ No _ . It couldn’t be. If it was—then he had failed again.   
  
Dio had betrayed all their ideals by failing, and so Brother was unleashing the cruelest torture of all— _ nonexistence _ . Ceasing to be acknowledged as alive, but not mourned as if he were dead, to those he had once led. He was erased, becoming _ nothing _ .    


  
The blond clone fell back to the ground and clutched the sides of his head as the physical pain combined with the emotional torment. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing the world to change, to not be this nightmare.   
  
The pain slowly subsided.  He opened his eyes again, and made a short, shocked noise.    
  
The world _ had _ changed.  
  
He was no longer in the tunnels of the Free the Soul complex. He was sitting in an open field, the compound’s entrance nowhere in sight .  He felt a strange texture under his hands, and lifted one to peer under it. _ Grass _ ? Grass hadn’t existed in his lifetime. He looked up to the sky above. It was a bright, beautiful blue, with soft white clouds drifting above him, but there was no sun that he could see.  It was nothing like what he was used to.  
  
Dio felt his head—he was dressed in the same clothes he’d worn for the Nonary game, top hat and all. The Myrmidon stood up slowly, looking around.   
  
A faint music was playing, and he realized it was a music box, accompanied by someone humming. He followed the sound, feeling as though he was being dragged.  
  
A woman was standing in the field with her back to him, her dark hooded robe blowing in the wind. He couldn’t see any identifying details. The humming grew louder as he got closer to her. He wrinkled his forehead in confusion.  
  
The song and accompanying hum stopped abruptly as he began to walk around to see the woman’s face. He saw a smile, first, and then she pulled back the hood.  
  
“N—You’re dead!” he said, stunned. “There’s no way—”  
  
The face of the woman he’d sinned with smiled back at him. The expression had traces of cruelty hidden under its warmth. She covered her face with her hands, and then opened them to reveal a different face.   
  
He recognized the intense violet eyes. The old woman he’d killed— _ had he really killed her _ ?—smiled back at him mockingly.  Dio could only gape at the woman as he struggled to take hold of the situation. His voice wouldn’t come to him.   
  
The long grey hair of the woman flowed around her in the wind as she closed her eyes and began to twist something in her hands. A soft tune began to tinkle out of them. Dio looked closer and saw that it was a necklace. It looked familiar, but he couldn’t quite place it. The woman began to hum alongside it again.  
  
Dio swallowed, and his voice finally came to him, cracking slightly. “Wh—what the hell’s going on here?” he demanded, although it sounded more like a child’s whine. The woman did not respond. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Hey, I’m fucking talking to you.”   
  
He took a step forward, reaching a hand out to shake her. The mysterious woman’s violet eyes shot open and met his. Dio stumbled backwards quickly.  Her piercing eyes seemed to peer into his brain, and fling the thoughts back at him.  It was as if she could see everything he’d ever done wrong, every failure to Brother, all of his shame. Mixed in were the deaths that could not have possibly happened—his own, and so many others…  
  
He shook his head as he turned away, trying to physically jar the feeling from him. He bent over and dropped his hands to his knees as he tried to stop from vomiting—a feeling he had never had before.  Myrmidons simply didn’t get ill.    
  
The woman closed her eyes again, a soft smile on her lips.  He glared up at her.  
  
“I don’t know what kind of trick you’re playing here, but you’re dead now. I killed you.” His voice raised as he got angrier. “I don’t care how many fucking ideas you’ve planted in my mind. Myrmidons don’t fail, and that’s why I know I destroyed your plan. So you can’t be here fucking with me! It’s impossible. You’re dead.”  
  
The music halted suddenly, two small, disjointed notes ringing out, and the woman looked up again. Her violet eyes, now expressionless, met his. She gave a small smile.  
  
“ _ Are you sure? _ ”    
  


That phrase again—she was mocking him, dragging out his _sin_ , his _failures_ and laughing!  
  
He couldn’t take it anymore. Dio dug into his boots for the knife. “Fuck you—” he began as he lunged forward—and hit nothing. He blinked, and saw that the world was gone.

 

 


	12. Aoi, Light, ?????

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I swear, if there’s some kind of fucking zombie mummy or something—”

Aoi pushed open the door at the end of the hallway with a firm shove, then stopped, tilting his head as he stared into the opening. The faint light from the corridor didn’t extend more than a few inches into the next room. All he could tell was that the floors and walls were no longer elegantly decorated with carpet and paneling. The entire structure ahead—ceiling, walls, and floor—seemed to be made of concrete or stone.  
  
 ~~~~The atmosphere of the area beyond also had a unique smell to it. While the air in the room he’d woken up in, as well as in the lobby and hospital room, didn’t have a unique scent he could remember, he could almost _taste_ the dry, stale dust in the next room. It gave an impression that no one had entered this hallway in a very, very long time. It seemed slightly chilly, and Aoi was glad he still had his suit jacket slung over his shoulder, the collar gripped tightly in one hand.  
  
Light shifted slightly as he stood behind him, his arms calmly crossed as he waited for Aoi to step forward. The shorter man pushed his free hand over his forehead through his white hair, spiking it a bit, as he looked over his shoulder at his companion.  
  
“It’s really fucking dark in there,” Aoi said finally. He turned back to peer into the void in front of him. “I can’t see shit.”  
  
“Oh? That must be awful,” Light replied dryly, his calm smile masking the sarcasm in the statement. Aoi winced as he realized his careless choice of words. Still, the blind man did not seem particularly offended as he extended an arm in a graceful gesture towards the dark opening. “May I?”  
  
He stepped back to let Light step into the room ahead. The darkness quickly swallowed his elegant figure as he strode fearlessly into it. Aoi hesitated at the entrance. He wasn’t sure how exactly Light Field could move so flawlessly without vision, but he was positive he wouldn’t trust himself to mimic the confident movements.  
  
The young man shivered and then shrugged into his suit jacket. He listened to his companion’s unfaltering steps echo through the gloom, when there was a pause in the cadence. There was a rustling noise, and then the steps returned until Light appeared again at the entrance. He was holding a thick stick of wood with a wad of cloth bound tightly to the top. “Perhaps this will help,” he offered.  
  
“A… torch?” Aoi’s nose wrinkled in a sneer as he took the object tentatively. “Are we going back in time or something?” He frowned and shook the stick a little, as if he expected something to happen. “They always light ‘em in the movies by just hitting the wall, right?”  
  
“Ah—no.” Light’s serene smile did not waver as he took the torch away from Aoi, although one eyebrow raised slightly. “May I use your lighter, please?”  
  
Aoi’s eyes widened in surprise, but he reached into his pocket anyways and pulled out a small silver object. “How’d you know?.” The answer came to him before he’d finished speaking. “Oh, duh—the smell.”

“Yes. The scent tends to linger around those who smoke,” Light said calmly as he circled the small flame around the bottom of the torch. The fire caught, and the room around them blossomed into light. It illuminated a corridor that was only a few feet wide and high. It seemed to stretch out far into the distance, sloping downwards slightly.  
  
Light handed the lighter back to Aoi, and then the torch. “However, it’s not an entirely unpleasant scent mixed with yours.” He smiled.  
  
Aoi wasn’t quite sure how to respond to that, so he stepped forward with the torch without saying anything. Light followed slightly behind him.  
  
His expression darkened again as the two men walked down the long hallway. This building had no continuity in its design whatsoever. Even Building Q, with its replica of a luxury, antique cruise ship encased inside a larger warehouse in the Nevada desert—had held more cohesion than this place did. He wasn’t really sure what to make of it. The only thing he could do was continue to explore and hope that answers would be found.  
  
They reached the passageway’s abrupt right turn. As they rounded the corner, Aoi noted that the walls were no longer plain like the floor and ceiling. Detailed, yet simplistic carvings ran in vertical columns down the rest of the corridor. He stopped, staring at the designs intently. He couldn’t quite make sense of them, and yet, they seemed very familiar.  
  
Light cleared his throat softly.  
  
“I’m assuming you are examining something worthwhile?” he asked, placing his hand on the wall. His brow furrowed slightly as he delicately ran his long, thin fingers over the indentations. “I’m unfamiliar with these—is it a picture, or some kind of language?”  
  
“Both. Hieroglyphics,” Aoi replied as the name finally returned to him. He held the torch out to look down the rest of the hallway. “I can’t read them, obviously, but my sister… she kind of had an ancient Egypt phase in grade school. She was really fascinated by that culture. Particularly their mythology.” He rubbed his forehead as if to hide his sudden sad expression. “Kinda ironic, I guess, since the whole sarcophagus on the Gigantic and stuff.”   
  
“I suppose that’s a different one than the coffin you placed me in?” Light said. Aoi flinched slightly as he looked back at his companion, only to see he had a sardonic smile on his face. It was kind of surreal to him how calm and laid back the other man was, not just to Aoi, but in regards to the things Aoi and Akane had done during their Nonary Game. After all, it seemed that Light had been through the exact same game up until the murders Aoi had experienced. He thought most people would have at least a _slight_ grudge from those events. Maybe the serene man hid his irritation well, or maybe he really was _that_ patient and—if not _forgiving_ , exactly—unwilling to linger. Aoi shook off his thoughts and nodded.  
  
“Yeah… you were in the chapel,” he said. “This sarcophagus was rumored to hold an ice mummy—have you heard about that? Supposedly her curse sunk the Titanic or something. Anyways, there really _was_ a sarcophagus on the Gigantic that Lord Gordain bought, and that’s where Hongou”—his lips still twisted into a sneer when he spat out the name—”found the root that Soporil is based on, chemically.” He glanced again at the walls around him. “So yeah, it’s kinda related. Maybe related to what’s going on.”  
  
“I have no doubts,” Light said. “I’m certain if we could decipher these, then—” he stopped abruptly, leaning forward with an intent expression on his face. “Aoi, do you hear that?”  
  
Aoi turned his head to the hallway in front of them, straining his ears. All he could hear was the sound of his own breathing, and the crackling of the torch. He shook his head after a moment. “No, I don’t hear—”  
  
“Someone is calling for help,” Light interrupted, his smooth gait hurrying into a slight jog. “Come! Quickly!”  
  
Aoi stumbled slightly as he hurried behind his companion down the stone hallway. The slope down became more severe until they rounded another corner. The hallway leveled out for a few feet before opening into a room so large, the torchlight didn’t reach the ceiling.  
  
Before them was an area raised two feet from the floor, like a small, round stage. In its center was a large rectangular stone, with another one set atop it like a lid. As Aoi drew closer he could hear thumping and a barely audible voice coming from the coffin.  
  
Light had already reached the stone, and Aoi followed, the chill he’d felt previously replaced by a cold sweat. This seemed to be more like the start of an old-fashioned horror movie than real life. His companion felt around then took a firm grip on the stone lid. “I will require some assistance, Aoi,” he said, his polite words at odds with the urgent expression on his face.  
  
Aoi looked for a place to set the torch, and quickly noticed a set of iron brackets surrounding the stone. He placed it in one carefully, then hurried to join Light. His heart was pounding.  
  
“I swear, if there’s some kind of fucking zombie mummy or something—” he began as he strained to lift the stone lid. It was much, much heavier than he’d imagined.  
  
Light shook his head, ignoring the comment. “Don’t lift—push!”  
  
Aoi readjusted his position, and they heaved the stone to the side with an enormous, echoing crash. He coughed as a cloud of dust rose around them, leaning on the stone for balance. Light was already reaching inside.  
  
There was a wooden sarcophagus within the stone, and he could hear the sounds of someone struggling inside it as well as a muffled voice. Aoi felt his heart began to pound irregularly. _A girl—-could it be-_ -  
  
His hands shot out and took hold of the head of the sarcophagus. In one strong movement the two men lifted the lid and threw it to the floor, revealing the coffin’s struggling occupant.  
  
The girl sat up, gasping as if she’d been underwater. She coughed, then draped over the stone side as she struggled to catch her breath, revealing long, dark skinned arms covered in gold and turquoise jewelry. A white linen veil was covering her head, and she tugged at it, revealing shoulder-length black hair as she threw the cloth to the floor.  
  
Aoi’s shoulders sank slightly in disappointment as he realized that the woman in the coffin was definitely not his sister. Her gasping slowed as she finally caught her breath, and she began to look at her surroundings. Her bright brown eyes met his and narrowed. He stepped back, startled at the pure rage of her expression.  
  
“What—” she coughed again, “the _hell_ kind of joke is this?” She leaned out a bit more, grabbing towards him. He stumbled back, still staring at the infuriated woman. “Do you think this is _funny_ or something? When I get—” She collapsed into another round of coughing.  
  
“Are you alright, Miss?” Light asked, elegantly diverting her attention from Aoi with a step forward. “Please try to relax and breathe. You seem as if you were low on air, so give yourself a few moments to recover.”  
  
She stared at him, puzzled, but her breathing became slower and deeper. She blinked as she examined Light, taking in his elegant blue waistcoat and calm expression. Light continued in a soothing tone, gesturing towards Aoi.  
  
“That is Aoi Kurashiki, and I am Light Field. We arrived here together after meeting during an unusual set of circumstances.” Light offered his hand. “May I help you out?”  
  
She looked at his hand suspiciously, then cautiously took it. Light helped the young woman stand, shakily, then step over the deep side of the coffin to the floor. She leaned back against the stone, her eyes wide as they darted between the two men.  
  
“What is your name?” Light asked gently. The girl coughed once before answering.  
  
“My name is Alice.” She looked around.  ”Where is this?”  
  
"Unfortunately, we don’t know much more than you seem to," Light answered.  "All I can tell you is that this is one of a series of varying rooms in which we, and a few others, awoke in."  
  
"Hmm."  She continued to take in their surroundings.  Her eyes fell back on Aoi, and she frowned as she noticed he was staring at her.  
  
It wasn’t intentional, he was simply dumbfounded at her outfit. It was white and gauzy, punctuated by elaborate jewelry, and very, very see-through. Alice noticed it at the same moment, and her expression grew disgusted. “What the hell am I wearing?” She closed her arms around herself. Her glare intensified with an unspoken accusation towards him.  
  
Aoi quickly pulled off his jacket and held it out to the woman. She grabbed it, watching him suspiciously as she struggled into it. She was quite a bit smaller than him, so it hung loosely on her frame. She didn’t thank him.  
  
Light reached into the coffin again, and pulled out a rolled piece of paper. “I’m assuming this will have writing on it, would you be so kind?” He handed it to the young woman. Her eyes darted to him, and Aoi saw a flash of understanding come over her face as she realized his disability.  
  
Alice unrolled the item, and squinted at it in the torchlight. She shook her head and rolled it back up, shoving it into Aoi’s jacket pocket. “Sorry, I don’t understand this.” She shivered, pulling the jacket tightly around herself. “Can we please leave this area? If you aren’t the people who shoved me in there, I don’t want to be around if the ones that did return.”  
  
“Of course,” Light said. “Aoi, shall we fill Alice in on our situation as we head back?”  
  
He nodded. “Yeah, sure. I—”  
  
Alice interrupted him. “I do want to know whatever you can tell me, but you better not be expecting anything from me in return, okay?” She frowned. “I don’t trust either of you, or this situation, even a little.”  
  
“Uh, yeah,” Aoi said, trying to hide a frown as he lifted the torch from the bracket. He could understand that the young woman had very good reason to be on guard, but something about her attitude was rubbing him the wrong way. He wondered what had been on the paper she’d quickly hidden. He had a feeling that she wasn’t telling the truth about it, but he could probably find out later.  
  
Aoi looked around the room one last time as Light and Alice headed into the hallway ahead of him. Was this Akane’s creation, somehow? He remembered her pointing at similar images in large photo books, talking excitedly about mummification and rebirth and things he hadn’t been entirely interested in, at the time. The area felt like something that Akane would design, but he’d been separated from her so long, he could no longer say for certain.  
  
The young man let out a sigh and followed his companions from the room.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love all of you beautiful people for reading this (and not sending me hate mail or something idk)


	13. Reunited... ?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Is it really you? Are you really… Jumpy?”

_ Akane _ .  
  
Junpei took one unsteady step forward, trying to calm his shaking legs. The brown-haired girl in front of him took a step towards him as well, one hand covering her mouth and the other resting on her chest as she stared at him.   
  
It felt like an eternity was passing every second as they looked at each other.   
  
She was the first one to speak.  
  
“Is it really you?” she asked, stepping one foot up on the first stair. “Are you really… Jumpy?”  
  
The eternity stopped, and with it, the trembling in his legs. Junpei ran the rest of the way down the stairs to Akane Kurashiki, and threw his arms around her.   
  
She stiffened a moment in surprise, then he felt her warmth relax against him as she returned the hug tentatively.  
  
“Oh, goodness, Jumpy,” she said with a soft laugh. “I missed you too!” Her head rested against his, and he felt her let out a contented sigh. “It’s been far too long. It’s strange to meet in a weird place like this, but I can’t say I mind at all.”  
  
Junpei began to speak, then stopped to compose himself. He was trembling again as emotions rolled over him in pounding waves. Akane. She was here, she was real, and he was holding her. She felt solid, and warm—not as hot as she’d been with her fever—but warm and human and _real_.  


Her loose hair felt like silk brushing against his  the back of his hand  and his forehead. He could hear the soft sound of her breathing, and if his heart hadn’t been pounding so loudly he would have thought he could hear hers, too. She smelled the soft, clean and slightly floral way she had the last time he’d seen her. Her cotton dress was smooth under his fingertips, and she was solid under it—she was really next to him, not a memory, or a dream, or a ghost. _ Akane _ .  
  
He had to say something. There had to be a beginning to the conversation he had been waiting years for, a start to all of the questions and feelings he had to express before she vanished again. But he was having so much trouble speaking over the lump in his throat.  


“I—I have so many things I want to say to you,” he managed finally. He was irritated to find that his voice cracked a bit, and tears were starting to form in his eyes. “Akane, I…”  
  
He was surprised when she released him and stepped back, placing her hands on his upper arms.

“It _is_ great to see you again, Jumpy, but I mean, this is a little forward, isn’t it?” She blushed with a shy smile, looking up at him from the side with her sweet violet eyes. “I mean, I don’t _mind_ exactly, but we haven’t even _talked_ since I moved away.” She giggled. “You’re at least going to take me to dinner first, right?”  
  
 _Huh_? Junpei’s expression slowly slid into one of confusion. He loosened his grip on her arms slightly as he tried to make sense of the words she was saying.  
  
Akane noticed the change in his demeanor and held up her hands defensively, her violet eyes wide in alarm. “Oh, no, don’t be offended, Jumpy! I mean, if you really wanna skip dinner, we can, but I mean… we should at least catch up with what’s been happening in those twelve years, right?” She tapped a hand to her cheek lightly. “I mean, I… I’m sure you’ll want to know if I’ve … um… been with anyone…”

His pulse seemed to be the only thing he could hear clearly. Her voice sounded like it was coming from underwater, or someplace far away.   
  
He had saved her life, she had chosen him to do so. They had shared a mind for a brief time. But she wasn’t acknowledging that, she was making jokes and flirting as if they were merely childhood friends catching up. He found his voice again. “Kanny, what are you… saying?”   


She was blushing furiously. “Gosh, Jumpy, you’re gonna make me come out and _say_ it? That’s so embarrassing… but no, I’m… well, I’m still a— ”  
  
“No, no, wait. Just wait a second.” Junpei shook his head as if he could jar his thoughts into a pattern that made sense. He still held on to her upper arms, as if she was an anchor, but it was her words that made him feel as if he was floating, lost. She waited patiently for him to speak, a friendly smile on her face.  
  
“Do you… not remember?” he finally asked, his eyebrows drawing together even more tightly. “About three years ago? The Nonary Game?” He paused. “About… Zero?”

Akane gave him a strange look, almost as puzzled as his was. “Um… no, I’m sorry, I don’t think so. Notary Game? Was it a video or a board game?”

Junpei felt as though his legs were going to give out. He finally let go of her completely, and took hold of the bannister and slowly lowered himself to sit on the bottom step. “How… “  
  
His voice trailed off as he remembered Aoi’s words. “ _ Don’t take it for granted that you share a past with anyone here. We may not be the same people you think we are _ .”  
  
He clutched at his temples. After all this time… she was here, it was _ definitely _ her—but it… it wasn’t _ his _ Akane. Somehow, he had thought that Akane had been in every time line, that she had known everything that was going to happen and had planned her Nonary Game around each possibility she had seen. She had lived through failed attempts to save her, trapped in a reality where she had died and yet hadn’t died. She had been Zero.  
  
But the girl before him seemed completely confused by his questions. He looked up as she knelt beside him and gently touched his arm, looking like a confused puppy. “Jumpy, are you okay?”  
  
The concern in her face was genuine, he was certain of that. He reached up, touching the tips of her hair falling over her cheeks and gently sweeping them back behind her ear. She smiled again, shyly. He squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them, blinking. She was still there.  


_ Are you really Akane _ ? He wanted to say, but somehow, that didn’t seem to express what he wanted. She was _ definitely _ Akane. He couldn’t mistake those eyes, or those movements or expressions—no one could trick him into thinking they were the one woman who was always on his mind. From a different timeline,  then? But why? He had been brought to a strange situation, wearing a bracelet, and that always meant Akane—but instead…   
  
“Jumpy, what is it?” The young woman paused, then gasped, standing up suddenly with her hand to her mouth. “Oh my gosh—I’m so sorry, Jumpy, I never even…” She turned around, her hand to her heart again. “I mean, I _should’ve_ —it has been twelve years, after all, but…”  


“What are you talking about?” Junpei asked. His head was spinning a million miles a minute, and her sudden reaction had only increased the speed. Her violet eyes looked back at him sadly as she bit the side of her lip.  
  
“You… you have a girlfriend, don’t you?” she asked in a trembling voice. “It’s okay, Jumpy… if you just want to talk for a while and then go back to your life, it’s okay… I… I’m also not averse to just one unforgettable night, if that’s what you want…”  
  
“Wha—no. Wait, what??” Junpei shook his head again to try to clear it. Akane let out a sad sigh, looking down to the floor.  
  
“Oh… I understand. Married.” She wiped her eyes with the corner of her sleeve—it was the same blue-violet dress with striped sleeves he’d seen her in during the Nonary Game. And she, too, had a bracelet on, although he couldn’t see the symbol. “You can’t break your vows, Jumpy. It’s okay…”  
  
“Whoa whoa whoa!” Junpei stood up, holding his hands up as if he were stopping traffic. “Slow down there!” He blinked again, hard, and let out a deep breath.   
  
His thoughts were slowly settling into a shape he could understand, although much of it was still missing. He looked at Akane with a firm expression. “Okay, first thing’s first, I’m not married. Or dating anybody. The second thing—the _important_ thing—”

The brown haired man stepped forward, peering into her face. “You… really don’t remember what happened three years ago?”  
  
“Um… I don’t recall anything special,” Akane replied, tapping a finger to her chin as she thought, the pathos of the previous moment seemingly forgotten. “It wasn’t an election year—not in Japan, at least—hmm… did a movie come out? I can’t remember any…”  
  
“No, that’s not it. Um, forget it,” Junpei interrupted. “But think carefully—is this _really_ the first time you’ve seen me in twelve years?”  
  
Her chestnut hair bounced as she nodded her head emphatically. “Yes, of course!” Her brow furrowed suddenly. “Wait, Junpei… are you saying…”

Junpei started to nod, beginning to form the words, “Yeah, we saw each oth—”  
  
“—that I have a _doppelganger_?” Her eyes widened as she continued. “That’s a _terrible_ omen! Oh gosh, tell me you didn’t talk to her? That’s like, a surefire death premonition!”  
  
If Junpei had been in an anime, he would have faceplanted on the floor at this suggestion. He slapped his palm to his forehead. “No, no! I mean….”  
  
He let out a deep sigh. “Kanny, we have a lot to talk about. I don’t even know where to begin. Just give me a minute to think.” _Should I start by telling her we’re from alternate timelines_ _,_ _or about the Nonary Game she created? Or how she chose me to save her life? Should I tell her that she was Zero?_

And with that thought, understanding suddenly struck him.   
  
Akane _ had _ been Zero in the past, but this Akane was not Zero. Everything related to being the mastermind was gone from the girl in front of him. It _ was _ Akane, but it wasn’t _ Zero _ .

This was _ June _ , with whom he had played the Nonary Game without the slightest suspicion that she was the one behind it. June, an ordinary girl with eclectic interests, terrible jokes, and esoteric knowledge about a wide variety of things; who was a girl separate and yet the same as Zero, a genius who could see and jump through time lines to manipulate the world into her desired result.   
  
They were _ both _ Akane; June and Zero, two parts making up an extremely complex and powerful woman. But right now, he only had one part of her—June, the innocent one. Where was the rest of Akane, the one he really needed to talk to? Even though this was the part of Akane he had grown up with and would happily spend the rest of his life with if given the chance, he wanted— _ needed _ —all of her. How could he explain all of this?

He looked at the woman again, taking in her innocent, earnest expression as she tried to understand what he was saying, in her own way, waiting patiently for him to gather his thoughts. Could it be that June was who Akane would have been if Gentarou Hongou and Cradle Pharmaceuticals hadn’t ripped her future away? Was she from a world where that hadn’t happened? And if so, why had she been brought here? Who was in charge of this game? __  
  
The tired man ran a hand through his hair and let out another breath in a short puff. He needed to focus on the situation in front of him, and look for further answers later. “Okay. I’m not sure how much of this will make sense to you, but we’ve seen each other twice since you moved. The first time, it was more of a mental thing, during the first Nonary Game—I helped you solve the final puzzle, which saved your life. The second time, it was another—”  
  
Junpei paused. Akane’s forehead was wrinkled into a perplexed expression, and her head was leaning sideways in confusion. She gave a clear aura of having no idea what her childhood crush was talking about. He sighed. “I guess it’s a lot to ask you to believe that things happened that you don’t remember…”  
  
Her face grew serious. “I’m sorry, Jumpy. I really don’t know what’s going on, and you’re confusing me. I want to understand, though—”  
  
She was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. The pair looked up towards the staircase. Aoi Kurashiki, Light Field, and a strange girl were walking down it. As the group noticed Akane and Junpei at the foot of the stairs, they stopped.

Aoi’s face was as pale as his hair. His expression twisted, from confusion, to disbelief, to pain as he stared at Akane. He opened his mouth and shut it.  
  
Akane, however, smiled widely. “Brother… it’s good to see you here, too!” She hurried up the stairs to greet him.  
  
Aoi stepped backwards as she reached out to him, banging into the wall clumsily. She pulled her hand back, looking bewildered at his reaction. Light placed a hand on Aoi’s shoulder to steady him, then turned to Akane. “Akane Kurashiki, I presume?”  
  
“Um, yes,” she said, looking bewildered. “I’m sorry, I don’t believe we’ve met.” She turned back to her brother. “Aoi, are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost…”  
  
“He has,” Junpei said quietly as he walked up behind her. Akane turned to him, tilting her head in a questioning look. He sighed. “It’s got to do with what I was trying to tell you.” He looked at Aoi. “She’s not from your time line… or even mine.” His face hardened in determination. “But she _is_ Akane. I’m certain of it.”  


Akane looked back and forth between the two men. A slight trace of fear was evident in her confusion. “I’m… I’m really confused now, Jumpy! Aoi, don’t you recognize me?”  
  
The white-haired man finally spoke. “Uh… yeah. I mean.” He shook his head, fumbling for words. “I just…” He finally met her eyes, and the distraught expression on his face was so child like and vulnerable Junpei had to look away. Tears were welling up in his eyes. “Kanny… you were dead.”  
  
“Eh?” Her jaw dropped in surprise. “I _ died _ ?” She frowned. “This seems like a very strange dream…” Her face softened, and she took a step towards her brother. “I’m sorry, Aoi. I don’t know what to say, but… I’m here now.” She touched his cheek and gave a gentle smile.  
  
Aoi lost his composure completely at the touch. He grabbed his sister’s shoulders and pulled her into his arms, letting out a loud sob. Light and Junpei turned away respectfully, while the second girl simply looked confused. She glanced at the two men. “Um… either of you care to tell me what the hell is going on here?”  


Junpei and Light sighed in unison. Junpei shook his head. “It’s a hell of a story…”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been getting the most lovely comments and I'm so thrilled I don't even know how to respond. Seriously, I get a notification and just start rolling off my bed. Thank you guys so much. ;~; You don't know how awesome it makes me feel to know people are enjoying this. It's really inspiring me to work faster. I know exactly how I want things to turn out, but the getting there can be a little hard!
> 
> Thank you all for your support! :D


	14. The Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Are you sure you're not Zero?"

 

Sigma’s eyes took a while to open. He felt very strange, his first thought was that he was falling asleep—a sensation he usually could not remember—instead of waking up. He rubbed his eyes, trying to shake the feeling, and sat up.

  
The dark room had pale light shining from the edges, slowly getting brighter.   _Hmm. Night-day cycle, and imitating sunrise_ . _Pretty fancy._   He ran his hand over his head through his hair. He could hear voices, but he wasn’t sure who was awake. The cots near him were still occupied—Clover, Seven and Lotus seemed to still be asleep.  
  
The young man slowly stood up and stretched, then headed towards the sound of the voices. He noticed a small group of people hanging out beyond the doorway they’d entered yesterday, speaking quietly amongst themselves. As he got closer, he saw it was Luna, Light, “Santa”, and Junpei, who was standing in front of a woman at an angle where he couldn't make out her face. Another girl he didn’t recognize was sitting on a nearby cot with her arms wrapped around herself. She seemed somewhat familiar .     
  
He glanced at the other cots near the door as he passed them. Phi was still beginning to sit up, blinking groggily. He walked over to her bed and sat down on it.  
  
“Hey, how are you feeling?” he asked. The white-haired woman shook her head.  
  
“Better than yesterday, that’s for sure.” She rubbed her eyes, looking up at her bangs, then shrugging in defeat. “Got pretty bad bedhead, I guess.” Sigma had not planned on mentioning that, but he privately agreed. Phi stood up and stretched, straightening her clothes. “So. What did I miss?”  
  
“Well… a few more people have joined us, and there’s some by the door I haven’t met yet, either.” Sigma gestured with his thumb towards the group. He stood up, and Phi picked up Luna’s overskirt, which had been covering her as she slept. She shook it out and folded it loosely in her arms.  
  
“Gonna have to thank her for that… it’s a little chilly in here. Well, let’s go,” she said, turning towards him . Sigma frowned.

“You sure you’re okay? I mean, you were really messed up yesterday.” She shrugged.  
  
“I dunno. The pain’s gone, and I feel fine. Kinda… too fine. Other than being cranky, and probably looking like shit, I’m not hungry, or tired, or… anything.” Her frown outdid Sigma’s. “I think it’s kind of weird… but anyways, what did you do all night? Did you find anything interesting?”  
  
“Um, well, actually… I slept,” Sigma admitted. Phi’s jaw dropped as she stared at him, incredulous.  
  
“ _Seriously_? We’re in a strange place, obviously to play a Nonary Game— _again_ —and you SLEPT?”  
  
He scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed. “I dunno, I mean, I was tired. There didn’t seem much else to explore, y’know? Light and that Santa guy went down the other hallway, and Junpei kept an eye on the stairs. Besides, Luna was watching over us—I mean, it’s not like we can’t trust her, and she doesn’t need to sleep.”  
  
Phi gave him a side-eyed glare. “ _You_  might be able to trust her, but I don’t trust  _anyone_  here except you.” She poked at his bicep. “Even though I’m a little suspicious of your body.”  
  
“Wanna investigate it?” Sigma asked with a suggestive wink. Phi punched his arm.   
  
“I was talking about  _these_ , jackass. That, and the whole fact that you’re not old.”  
  
He flexed his arm, looking at it gratefully. “I’m just glad they’re here. I know it’s kinda weird, but I mean, I’m pretty  _attached_  to these things, y’know?”  
  
Phi did not laugh at his pun. Her chin was resting on her hand thoughtfully. “The timeline doesn’t work out,” she said, half to herself. Her expression darkened. “If you think about i—oh, uh, morning.”  
  
Sigma turned and saw a sleepy pink haired girl trudging up behind him, covering her mouth as she yawned. Clover’s bedhead was even worse than Phi’s, and she still hadn’t taken off her work apron. She gave a dull wave that was more like a flick of the wrist. “Good morning, stranger. Good morning, pervert.”  
  
“My name is  _Sig_ —” he started, but the girl was already walking past him, ignoring him completely. He turned back to Phi with an offended look, but she was hiding a smile behind her hand. “Glad this is so amusing to you.”  
  
“Yeah, me too. I think I like her. She looks kinda familiar…”   
  
“You should, that’s Clover.” Phi’s eyes widened, then narrowed.  
  
“Hm,” was all she finally said. She shook her head and twitched her shoulder in a forward gesture. “C’mon. Let’s go see what they’re willing to tell us. Oh, and Sigma?”  
  
“Yeah?” he asked. Her eyes were serious as she looked up at him.  
  
“Don’t tell anyone anything… specific. It’s really, really important. Okay?”  
  
He nodded. “Uh, sure. I mean, I’m not sure exactly what’s too detailed for you—”

The small woman gave him a slight grin. “Oh, I’ll let you know.”  
  
Left was still faceplanted into the thin mattress as they passed. Sigma felt strangely relieved, but also disappointed. At least the clone was where he could keep an eye on him, but he would really prefer that he was somewhere far, far away.  _Like the center of a black hole somewhere…_  
  
Luna turned slightly as the pair approached the group. “Good morning, Sigma, Phi,” she said with a sweet smile. He couldn’t help smiling back at her. “We’ve found some more players.”  
  
“Hey,” Phi said. She handed Luna her skirt. “Thanks, by the way.”  
  
“Are you feeling better?” Luna asked, her face concerned. “No pain or fever?” Phi nodded.  
  
“Guess the Soporil did the trick.” She turned to the group. “So, introductions, I guess? I’m Phi, this is Sigma.”  
  
“You can call him pervert,” Clover added, plopping down on the mattress next to the woman bundled in an oversize suit jacket. She gave the girl a friendly smile. “I’m Clover.”  
  
“Hi,” the girl replied shortly, without a trace of friendliness in her voice. She shivered slightly, pulling the jacket around her tighter. Luna offered her the overskirt. The young woman covered her lap with it, without offering any thanks. “Were all of you just having a nice little nap? I don’t know how any reasonable person could sleep at a time like this. Were you  _really_  all kidnapped?”   
  
Sigma was taken aback—not by her sarcasm, or rapid-fire accusations, or even her strange outfit. The suit jacket appeared to be covering a sheer white piece—which he had a  _completely_ natural masculine curiosity about—but that wasn’t particularly shocking to him. He was curious, because the young woman looked  _very_  familiar.  
  
“A—Alice?” he ventured. Luna shook her head, as if she’d anticipated that reaction, while the other woman glared at him.  
  
“Who the hell are you, and why do you know my name?” She tightened her arms as she looked back to the rest of the group, jerking her chin towards Aoi. “I know you said that some of us might seem familiar, but this is really ridiculous. I’ve never seen this guy in my life.”  
  
“He did the same thing to me,” Clover said sympathetically. “It’s okay, though, my brother will kick his ass if he tries anything with  _either_  of us.”   
  
“Oh  _come_  on!” Sigma interjected. “I haven’t even done anything!”   
  
“And I’m sure you will not.” Sigma looked to Light, who had spoken. The man had a serene smile. Still, Sigma definitely got the sense the other man could be threatening if he wanted.  
  
“Um… no, I don’t plan to,” Sigma apologized, unsure of exactly what he was saying. He was trying to place why Alice looked so different—it couldn’t just be that they were from different time lines. He was suspicious that was even a certain fact. It seemed impossible, but he could focus on that later. Maybe it was because she was wearing clothes—well, sort of…  
  
“I’m not sure I buy any of this,” Alice continued. “You all just  _so happened—”_  she waved her hand around while rolling her eyes —“to wake up in a strange place with some kind of wrist device—and this isn’t even the first time this has happened to some of you? And  _you_  planned one of these… events once, and you conveniently don’t remember?”   
  
Her cutting comments were now directed towards the girl hovering behind Junpei. Sigma turned to look at her, and another stunned expression came over his features.  
  
The girl standing slightly behind Junpei with large violet eyes and long brown hair was very familiar, even though he’d only met her as a young woman once. She had a small handful of the back of Junpei’s shirt clutched in her hand in a childlike expression of nervousness. Junpei reached back and took her hand as Sigma stared in open shock. Clover jumped to her feet.   
  
“Akane!” She ran to the other girl, throwing her arms around her. “Wow, it really is good to see you alive, after everything.” She frowned. “I already slapped your brother for putting us through the game, so I’ll let you off, okay?” Her bright smile returned.   
  
“Oh, um… hi,” Akane said awkwardly. Clover tilted her head.  
  
“You don’t remember me? Oh well, you will, I’m sure!” She nodded confidently, releasing the girl and walking back to the cot. “Phi, do you know Akane and Luna and Aoi and Junpei?”  
  
Phi hesitated. “I… It’s my first time meeting Akane. Same with Aoi and Junpei, but I know Luna.”  
  
“All right! Now everybody knows everybody else!” Clover cheered.  _So it’s just that easy?_  Sigma thought, remembering Clover’s reaction to Aoi. She seemed awfully accepting of the situation. Junpei turned to him.  
  
“Sigma, I’m guessing you know Akane, by that expression?”  
  
“Well… kind of,” he admitted, sighing. “I—”  
  
“She planned the game we went through,” Phi cut in. Sigma shut his mouth as she glared at him. _I guess that’s what she meant by too much information…_  “It was after the first one—the one all of you went through. But we didn’t meet her.”  
  
“God, is this a football tournament or something? How many of these damn games were there?” Alice interjected. “This is beyond ridiculous. I want to go home!”   
  
Her face looked a little fragile at that moment. Sigma suddenly had a theory as to why Alice seemed so different. He looked at her again and nodded to himself. The appearance would match that theory.  
  
“The shortest way I can explain it… this is  _Akane_ , but it’s not  _Zero_ ,” Junpei was continuing. “Zero is the one who was in charge of our game, and yours too, I guess. But that’s not who Akane is right now. She doesn’t remember any of that—she’s from a timeline where none of that happened.” He let out a deep breath. “You can call her June instead if it helps at all.”   
  
Aoi, who was leaning against the wall with one bent foot, flicked his hand off the back of his neck dismissively. His arrogant expression was back, but there seemed to be the hint of a genuine smile lurking under it. “I can accept that explanation. This is my sister… mostly. And I assisted her in the Nonary Game Junpei, Clover and Light went through.”   
  
He leaned back, crossing his arms. “I suppose it’ll be a bit harder for the rest of you to understand, if you don’t know anything about the fields, or who was behind your Nonary Game.”  
  
“Damn straight it’s hard to understand, because it sounds like a pile of  _shit_!” Alice interrupted. Sigma realized she was wearing Santa’s coat. She seemed to have no shame about calling the young man out, regardless of any gratitude he might have felt owed. He gave a slight grin. That hadn’t changed from the strong woman he’d known. She continued berating the other man, who frowned in irritation. “First you’re all ‘oh, I don’t know what’s going on or why we’re here,’ and then you start telling me it’s about  _time travel_  and  _alternate time lines_  and cut me a goddamn break here!” She slumped back in a huff. “This is ridiculous.”  
  
“I can understand your frustration,” Light finally spoke up. “We seem to have had very different life experiences. That is the reason why nothing Aoi or Junpei is saying sounds extraordinary to me or Clover.”  
  
“Are you all part of a  _cult_  or something?” Alice demanded. She turned up her nose as she looked down at her clothing. “It would explain this stupid outfit.” Her face grew even more disgusted. “I mean, if this is some kind of rolepl—!”  
  
“Hey, Alice—sorry to interrupt, but can I ask how old you are?” Phi said. Sigma realized she was drawing the same conclusion he had about Alice.  
  
“Why?” the other woman asked, frowning suspiciously.  
  
“Look, it can’t hurt to answer just that, right? I’m twenty-two,” Sigma replied. “See, it’s not like it’s classified or secret information.” He had chosen those words intentionally, but there was no flicker of familiarity in Alice’s face.   
  
“I’m sixteen, almost seventeen,” she said finally, her expression changing to a slightly petulant one. She shivered again. “So whoever put me in this committed a least one felony, assuming this all happened in the States.  _Gross_.”   
  
“You’re younger than me? But you seem so mature!” Clover’s eyes were shining as she regarded Alice. It seemed to Sigma that their relationship was going to be almost exactly the same.   
  
Sigma glanced over at Phi, and she nodded in understanding. So Alice wasn’t a member of SOIS yet, had no special training for situations like this, and had no idea who any of them were. It also explained the slightly belligerent attitude—she was still a teenager. That fact also killed any of Sigma’s desire to see what she was wearing under the jacket. He wondered briefly how old she would be when she developed her…  _unique_  fashion sense.   
  
“ _Anyways_ ,” Aoi interrupted. “I guess we’re just waiting for the rest of those guys to wake up before heading down to those doors?”  
  
“Actually… I have some more questions for Akane,” Phi said. The girl’s eyes widened, and she nodded. “Do you recognize anyone else here?”  
  
“Um, no… “ Akane said as she looked around. “There are three more people sleeping, so I can’t say for certain, but I only know Jumpy and my brother.”  
  
“That would be Aoi, correct?” Phi asked, her hand on her chin again. Akane nodded.  
  
“He thought I was dead, though… I’m really not sure what’s going on. I swear!” she said. There was a gleam in her eyes. “I don’t know how I can get you to believe me…”  
  
“Don’t worry about it right now,” Phi replied. “We’re going to find out sooner or later what’s going on, and I have a feeling the answers are behind those doors.”  
  
“So should I go kick Left awake?” Sigma asked. “Someone else can take the devil woman and her husband.”  
  
“Hey, that was my nickname for her too!” Junpei said cheerfully at the exact moment an annoyed voice said “I’m right here, asshole.” They all turned to see a very grumpy looking Left on the outskirts of the group. His arms were crossed and his hat was shoved down over his messy hair. Luna hurried over.  
  
“Are you feeling alright? The Soporil helped the headache?” she asked, slightly anxious.   
  
He didn’t look at her as he responded. “Yeah. Great. Everything’s great. So are we ready to go, or what?”   
  
“You _could_ say thank you,” Sigma snapped as he stepped forward, unable to hold back his irritation. “She didn’t have to help you.” Luna held up her hands.  
  
“No, no, it’s fine. Please don’t fight,” she said, cutting off Left as he opened his mouth. “We need to work together right now, okay?”  
  
“She’s right,” Phi said. Her face showed how reluctant she was to admit it. Sigma was just glad she wasn’t as belligerent as she had been the day before. She seemed more like the calm woman he knew. It was a little frightening to him to think that pain could have made her change so much. Just how bad had she been feeling?  
  
“But yeah, that sounds like a plan,” Junpei was saying. “I can go get Seven and Lotus.” He gulped. “I hope I survive…” Sigma gave him a salute as he walked off.  _Poor guy’s doomed_.  
  
Left was scratching his eyebrow with one eye closed. “So what’s the deal with this, anyways? Symbols designate the groups, right?”  
  
“Yes. We’re grouped together in sets of elements,” Akane said. She seemed eager to help. “The elements are earth, air, water, and fire. You’re…” He held up his bracelet. “Scorpio. So you’ll be with Pisces and Cancer.” she gave a shy smile.   
  
“I’m Cancer!” Clover said, raising her hand up in the air. “Um, who’s Pisces, again?”  
  
“I am,” Luna said softly. Sigma’s frown intensified.  _Two fragile girls against Left? The one who chained Clover to a sink and left her to die?_ There was no way he could accept that. He began to say something, but Phi placed her hand on his arm.  _Wait_ , her look said.  
  
Left was frowning. “We can’t change it up or anything? There’s no other choices?”  
  
“No, I’m afraid not,” Akane replied. “The groups don’t change, and Junpei explained to me that even if we switch our bracelets, the symbols are the same.”  
  
“Wait—we can take these fucking things off?” Left pulled at his. “No death penalty or anything?”  
  
“There’s a trick to it,” Clover said. ““You have to hit the side buttons in a certain order. I can show you!” She hurried over to his side and grabbed his hand. He jerked it away, stepping backwards. She tilted her head in confusion, then shrugged and held up her own bracelet. “See, it’s like this…”  
  
It was uncanny to Sigma to watch the two women who had been directly murdered by Left talking to him in such a friendly manner. Everyone was being far too nice to the cultist. True, most weren’t aware of the atrocities he was responsible for, but still… He began to open his mouth again when Seven and Lotus arrived.  
  
“Good morning!” Seven bellowed, slapping Sigma on the back in a friendly manner.  The young man nearly fell over. Seven seemed perfectly alert, but his wife looked absolutely miserable. Sigma guessed her sleep hadn’t been that peaceful.  
  
The woman shivered. She was still clad only in Seven’s pajama shirt. Alice gave her an almost sympathetic half smile. “I certainly hope that wherever those damn doors take us, there will be heat,” Lotus said, frowning. “Or something reasonable to wear.”

“I can agree with that,” Alice said. Lotus looked over to her, but her gaze stopped upon Akane. “ _You_!” She took a step forward, but Junpei hurried in between the two women, spreading his arms out protectively as he spoke rapidly.   
  
“She doesn’t remember anything, Lotus! She’s not Zero. She’s just June. Both Aoi and I can vouch for that. She’s from a different timeline—”  
  
“Oh, come  _ON_ , Junpei. Do you really just believe anything a woman tells you?” Lotus’ face was ferocious. “She’s already got you wrapped around her little finger!”  
  
“Hazuki, calm down,” Seven said firmly. Lotus turned her rabid look to him.   
  
“She lied to us before about not knowing what was going on.” Her voice was heavy with anger. Seven put a hand on her shoulder gently. She took a deep breath, and resumed talking in a calmer voice. “I don’t believe a damn thing she says.”  
  
Akane looked devastated by Lotus’ outburst. She took a hold of Junpei’s sleeve. “Jumpy… what did I do? Why is everyone so angry with me?” She turned her face up towards him. Her eyes were brimming with tears. “Jumpy, what did I  _do_?”  
  
“I’ll tell you what—” Lotus began. Light held up his hand.  
  
“Everyone, please calm down,” he said firmly. “Currently, we need to work together to find a way out of this situation.” Phi nodded in agreement.

“Right now, there’s no way to know if Akane is telling the truth or not. There just isn’t any evidence one way or the other.” She looked around at the group. “We need to get going through those doors, and we’ll figure things out as we gather more information.”  
  
“Phi’s right,” Sigma agreed. “So, let’s figure out our groups. Akane, what’s your sign?”  
  
“Oh—me? I’m Virgo,” Akane said softly. She seemed subdued. Sigma realized when her glance flickered up to him that she was afraid. Junpei’s story, despite being accepted by Aoi, seemed impossible, but he couldn’t think of the girl in front of him as any kind of mastermind. She seemed as unthreatening as Luna.  
  
“Sure you’re not   _Zero_ ?” Lotus obviously felt quite differently. Her face held only anger as she watched Akane intently. Junpei frowned.  
  
“Yeah, she’s sure. She had no idea what I was talking about. We were close childhood friends, and I would know if she was lying.” Junpei’s face was serious. Sigma was surprised at how defensive the young man seemed. His expression clearly said he would fight any and all of them if they presented any kind of hostility towards the girl he had introduced as Akane, but also   _not_ Akane.     
  
Junpei continued, looking back to Akane. “Please try and relax, okay? I’ve got you.” He gave her a kind smile. “I mean, it’s not exactly how I was hoping to find you after all this time, but I’m still glad you’re here.” The young woman was looking at him with gratitude. He smiled back at her, and suddenly, recognition clicked in Sigma’s brain.  
  
“Wait, Junpei… you’re… I mean…. shit.   _Shit_ .” He couldn’t find the words. He wiped a hand over his face and stumbled to sit down on the nearest cot, next to Alice. She scooted as far away as she could from him, still glaring. Junpei was giving him a questioning look. He hadn’t seen Phi’s matching horrified one. Luna held her necklace and looked to the side, biting her lip.   
  
“I… it’s nothing,” Sigma managed to say. His heart was pounding from the realization that Junpei, the young man full of energy and love for the woman next to him, was—would   _become_ — Tennmyouji, the bitter old man.   _How is that possible?_     
  
“Junpei, you’re both Earth, right?” Phi quickly changed the subject. He and Akane nodded. “Okay, Lotus, how’s this. Junpei, you are   _completely_   responsible for Akane. Don’t let her out of your sight even for a   _second_ . And if anything happens… it’s on your head.” She looked at Lotus. “Is that a good compromise? You seem to know him, right?”  
  
“Yeah, I trust Junpei. I’m good with this arrangement,” Seven said. He looked at his wife. “You?”  
  
Lotus had a slight pout. “Fine. Junpei, I hope for your sake she isn’t behind this.”

“Who else is in our group?” Seven asked. “I’m, uh… Gemini, right?”  
  
“It’s me—Aquarius, and whoever Libra is. Light, or Alice?” Lotus asked. Alice shrugged, but Light nodded.   
  
“That is correct. We are all members of the Air group,” he said. “Alice, what is your sign?”  
  
“I’m Capricorn,” she answered.  
  
“That’s Earth,” Akane said. “So you’re with me and Jumpy. I mean… I hope you don’t mind.”  
  
Alice shrugged again. “You’re all the same to me. I don’t trust any of you, so it doesn’t matter if one of you doesn’t trust another one, or whatever.”  
  
“Okay! So, Earth is Junpei, Akane, and Alice. Air is Lotus, Seven, and Light. And me, Luna and Left are all Water!” Clover said, smiling. Left glared at her.  
  
“Call me  _Dio_ ,” he said. “Only that asshole is calling me Left.”  
  
“It doesn’t matter, I mean, honestly, they’re  _both_  really dumb names,” Clover said factually with a shrug.   
  
Sigma failed to choke back a hysterical laugh. Left’s face was utterly priceless. His jaw worked a few times, but he seemed unable to find words.  
  
“So our last group is Fire, right?” Luna hastily interrupted before Sigma could add another jab at the cult member. “Who is in that one?”  
  
“Sagittarius, Aries, and Leo,” Akane answered. Sigma held up his bracelet.  
  
“So it’s me, Phi, and…”  
  
“Me,” Aoi replied. “I’m Aries. So that finishes it up, right?”  
  
“It seems so,” Light said. “Shall we be on our way, then?”  
  
The group nodded, looking at each other.  
  
“All right. Let’s go,” Sigma said.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for all your support! hehe, it seems like it takes a long time for much action to happen, so I'm glad you're all patient. As always thanks to drkurashiki on tumblr for being the most wonderful beta ever. 
> 
> Writing a conversation with twelve characters is really, REALLY hard and I never want to do it again, but I promise no one's going to die... FOR THAT REASON, AT LEAST ;3 I hope everyone was able to keep track of everything okay.
> 
> I know that the formatting can be a little weird, I'm copying the text from Open Office into rich text format. It's odd but it's convinced all contractions are spelling errors.


	15. Through the Doors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "We were all kidnapped, right? Maybe we’re in a UFO right now!”

The group walked into the lobby and stopped, stunned, almost as one. They were staring at the wall.  
  
It wasn’t that the object was anything special—it was the same paneled wood that adorned the entire area. The only thing remarkable about it was its placement.  
  
Instead of the doors leading into AB rooms, there was simply a long barrier without any kind of doors, or even breaks. It looked as though it had always been there.  
  
“What the hell is this?” Phi was the first to speak or move. She walked up to the wooden paneling. She touched it, then tried to pry at the joints between the panels. “Is this for real?”  
  
“I don’t get it, what’s so weird about this?” Clover asked. She poked at it gingerly. “I mean, it’s just a _wall_.”  
  
“There were doors. This is where we came in from,” Sigma explained. “Me, Left, Junpei, Aoi, Phi, Luna and I guess… Akane?”  
  
The nervous girl shook her head. “I don’t remember how I got here. I… I don’t even remember waking up. I was just walking through the darkness, and then Jumpy appeared.”  
  
Aoi was silent. He was looking at the wall intently, but didn’t offer any thoughts to the others.  
  
“I don’t understand. The door was right there,” Luna said, touching the wood gently. She turned back to the group. “I remember seeing everyone come out of the other doors, too.”  
  
Left kicked the wall, then winced, trying to shake the pain out of his foot. “What the _fuck_.”   
  
Seven was kneeling on the floor as he knocked on the wall in various spots. Light had his ear pressed against it. He shook his head as the huge man looked up at him. “There doesn’t seem to be a room on the other side, unless it is particularly well insulated against sound.”  
  
“Could this have been moved here somehow?”  Sigma asked, running his fingers along a corner of the room. Phi shook her head as she pressed on various bits of the paneling, trying to find a spot that moved.  
  
“It’s solid, and it seems like it’s always been here.” Sigma was fairly certain no one else caught the flicker of fear from her expression. She looked up at him. “I don’t even have the remotest theory about how this is possible.”  
  
“Maybe the room _itself_ moved, not just the wall,” suggested Luna, tapping her chin thoughtfully.  
  
“Seriously?” Left sneered. “How does _that_ make sense?”  
  
Sigma’s eyes narrowed. He was giving the woman way too much attitude for someone who was deeply indebted to her. Before he could snap at the clone, Luna had continued speaking.  
  
“Well… It’s a similar theory to the wall moving,” she said, completely disregarding Left’s sarcasm and treating it as an honest question. Sigma was mildly shocked by her patience. “For example, if there was a place where the rooms separated at the staircase, or even by the door into the hospital room, the entire room could have moved.” She gave a shy shrug. “It’s not a very good theory, though. I can’t imagine that I wouldn’t have heard any noise from something that big moving.”  
  
“Even though this room was completely dark yesterday, the staircase was decently lit. I didn’t see or hear anything like a room moving,” Junpei said. He looked at Akane. “Do you have any ideas?”  
  
“I can’t think of anything,” she said, looking down at the floor. Junpei smiled, and gently punched her arm.  
  
“C’mon, June. Give me one of your crazy conspiracy theories. You’re great at those, and besides, they almost always had a grain of truth in them, y’know?” Her eyes widened, and a small smile appeared. She looked up as she thought and tapped her chin lightly.  
  
“Well… maybe there’s some alien technology that we can’t understand at work,” the young woman said. “We were all kidnapped, right? Maybe we’re in a UFO _right now_!”  
  
“UFO?” Alice repeated, raising an eyebrow. She seemed to have grown a bit warmer. She wasn’t pulling the oversized jacket quite as tightly around her body. “You’re not seriously implying aliens.”  
  
“ _Aliens_? Y’mean those little bug eyed people that probe your butt?” Sigma asked, feeling himself unintentionally clench the mentioned area. “That’s kind of terrifying…”  
  
“Hey, I asked her for crazy theories, let’s not judge, okay? It might help us think of something.” Junpei turned back to Akane. “Go on.”  
  
She continued speaking excitedly now. “Well, we could also be in a high tech computer simulation. Or maybe this is all a dream—”  
  
“This is a fucking waste of time, that’s what it is,” Left interrupted. He pointed a finger towards the opposite wall. “Look, the doors that we’re supposed to go through are still there, right? So let’s fucking do it already.”  
  
“I agree,” Aoi spoke up. He was standing very still with his arms crossed. Sigma couldn’t decipher the expression on his face. “I don’t think we’re going to find an answer here. We’ve examined this area pretty thoroughly. I don’t think there’s anything else we can try.”  
  
“I agree too,” Phi said, giving one last push to the carved wood. She turned around. “Okay. I don’t know what’s going to be behind those doors, so if you guys have any final thoughts to share with each other, now’s the time. I’m assuming we’ll all be able to meet up again, but that’s only a guess based on the other Nonary Games.”  
  
Aoi nodded. “Fair enough. Well, everybody, say your goodbyes,” he said with a sardonic smile. Light tapped him gently on the shoulder.  
  
“May I speak with you for a moment?” he asked. Aoi nodded, and the two men headed over to stand beside the staircase, with Clover trailing behind.  
  
 The others were breaking off into their own groups—except for Left, who was leaning against the wall by the Water door with a sour expression on his face. Sigma turned to Phi.

  
“So, you wanna tell me what the deal is with not telling them abou—” he stopped with a yelp as the petite woman stomped on his foot. “Ow, what the _hell_ , Phi?”  
  
“Come over here,” she said, gesturing with her head to the corner. He walked over to the spot with her, away from all the others. She looked around, then nodded, satisfied that no one was watching them. “Okay, ask away.”  
  
“Okay. Well, I can understand not mentioning that I was also— _OW_!” Phi glared up at him, her heel digging into his foot. “Come _on_ , you harpy! How are we supposed to talk if I can’t say what we’re talking about?”  
  
“You’re forgetting that one of these people has extraordinarily good hearing.” She nodded towards Light, who was across the room talking calmly to Aoi.  
  
“Wait, how’d you figure that out?” Sigma asked, wrinkling his brow. “I mean, I didn’t realize he was blind at first.”  
  
Phi rolled her eyes. “Sigma, you’re as dense as a chunk of lead sometimes. Anyways… Don’t mention _anything_ about our relationships with anyone, especially…” She nodded slightly in Akane’s direction. “I want to wait and see what she tells us—and not just verbally. What she does is important too.”  
  
“Yeah, I can get that. We can’t tell if she’s telling the truth or not based solely on what she says. But why’d you stop me from protesting about Left? You seriously think letting him into a room alone with Clover and Luna is a good idea?” Phi gave him a withering look.  
  
“Of course it’s not a _good_ idea, but we really don’t have much of a choice. I’m not saying I trust him any farther than I can throw him, but I do think his past behavior shows he’s not going to be a problem just yet.” She continued as Sigma opened his mouth again. “Look, you remember that time he, you, and I all had 9 BP, right?”  
  
“Yeah. Didn’t he try to kill you with a rock?”  
  
“Eh, I’d say we tried to kill each other. I was threatening him to get the passcode, after all. But anyways, after that is when I’m referring to. You remember what he did next?”  
  
Sigma shook his head. “I jumped pretty soon after that.”  
  
“Well, that’s also because there’s not anything to remember. He didn’t do anything to us because his mission—to win or disrupt the Game by any means necessary—was accomplished. He even led us to a settlement, because he was satisfied that he’d done what he needed to, and nothing more.” She placed her chin in a hand thoughtfully. “What I’m saying is, I don’t think Left’s going to try anything, at least not right now, because he doesn’t have any orders for this situation.  It's not just laziness, but loyalty, I think.”  
  
She tapped her chin again. “If he doesn’t have direct approval from Brother, he’s almost _definitely_ not going to act on his own. You saw how desperate he was to get back into the cult’s good graces—he literally killed himself for it several times. He’s not going to chance fucking it up by moving on his own.”  
  
“Hm. You might be right,” Sigma said, nodding with a frown. “He does seem pretty eager to get going. He’s probably hoping to find a way to contact Brother to get instructions.” Phi nodded.  
  
“I hope I _am_ right. I can’t absolutely guarantee it, you know? And we don’t know what we’re going to find in those rooms, and he might find a new motive to harm us.” She sighed. “So all we can do is hope that his behavior pattern continues to be predictable, and that nothing in there is dangerous.” She stopped as Clover approached.  
  
“Are you guys ready? I’m kind of excited to start exploring,” the pink-haired girl said cheerfully. She seemed much more alert than she had been earlier, and far too enthusiastic as she beamed at Phi. “I think I have a decent team—I mean, that weird guy is such a try-hard it’s kind of funny, and Luna seems really nice!”  
  
“She is,” Sigma said. “Hey, listen—keep an eye on her for me, will you?”  
  
The girl gave him yet another disgusted look. “Gross. Will you make up your mind? It’s super rude to mention other women in front of your girlfriend.” She raised an eyebrow at Phi.  
  
“We’re not a cou—” he and Phi said in unison. Clover rolled her eyes.  
  
“Whatever you say, guys. Anyways, let’s go!” She pumped her fist energetically and walked off to the doors, where everyone was forming into their assigned groups.   
  
"Do you feel like she's... kind of _manic,_ almost?" Sigma asked, watching the girl leave before starting to follow.  Phi frowned, but didn't offer an answer.    
  
She stopped as they reached the Fire door, but Sigma shook his head. “Hold on, I need to do something first.” Phi sighed and hurried after him as he walked over to where Left was tapping his foot by the Water door.  
  
“What?” the blond man barked as Sigma stopped in front of him.   
  
“I’ll keep it short. You better behave yourself. Got it?” He crossed his arms, feeling happy that they were as firm and muscled as he remembered. Left didn’t appear remotely cowed. He took a step forward so the two men were barely a foot apart.  
  
“Yeah? Or what?” he sneered. “You can’t do shit until you know that you don’t need me.”  
  


Sigma gave a deep sigh and smiled as he looked to the side. “Yeah, you’re probably right,” he said in a calm tone. Before Left could open his mouth again, and without any warning, Sigma’s arm shot forward and punched the clone in the face. It didn’t hit him full on, but it was enough to knock him off balance.

  
There was a variety of reactions. Left fell over, Clover burst out laughing, and a grin appeared on Aoi’s face. Seven and Lotus frowned as Alice rolled her eyes. Light tilted his head, intrigued by the commotion, and Junpei took a protective step closer to Akane.  
  
However, out of the entire group, the women closest to him were the only ones whose reactions Sigma was concerned about. Phi looked annoyed, but Luna looked utterly horrified.  
  
“Sigma!” she cried. Luna hurried to help Left up, but he shook her hand off. She turned back to Sigma and took a step towards him. “How _could_ you?”  
  
Sigma scratched the side of his neck, feeling slightly mollified by the scolding. “Luna… you know about him, right? I mean, he’s—”  
  
“That’s not important!” Luna interrupted harshly. Sigma dropped his arm, feeling a bit shocked. He didn’t think he had seen her angry in any of the timelines—certainly not upset to this point.  
  
The sweet woman shook her head and looked to the side, blinking hard. Her birdcage necklace was clutched tightly in her hand. “Dr. Klim… my doctor… would _never_ jump to violence out of the blue like that!” Her eyes had tears as she looked back at him, but they were still stubborn and fierce.  
  
Sigma opened his mouth and closed it, trying to think of something to say. “Luna, I—”  
  
“Don’t.” Luna turned and walked to the Water door. She pressed her bracelet against the sensor beside it, and it swung open. She turned back around, and he could see that the tears were beginning to fall. “You’re not him,” she said, and walked inside. The door closed after her.   
  
“Good job,” Phi said sarcastically. Sigma held out his hands helplessly.  
  
“Am I really that different?” he said to himself. Phi’s expression became sympathetic, but she turned as Left began to stand up.  
  
The clone was holding his hat on as he stumbled to his feet. Before he could even think about continuing the fight, he was stopped by a large hand on his shoulder. He twitched, trying to pull away, but Seven’s grasp was firm. Sigma realized the man was also holding his own arm in a vice-like grip. He was surprised the mountainous man could move so quickly without either of them being aware.  
  
“You’re done. _Both_ of you. Got it?” he said, sounding as calm but dangerous as an angry parent separating quarreling siblings.  
  
Sigma gulped as he saw the man’s expression. Lotus had said her husband’s job was dangerous, and he could fully believe it in that moment. He gave every impression of being fully capable of handling any danger, including two men who seemed to be half his age. He had no doubt Seven would be able to overpower them both in under ten seconds.  
  
“Y… yeah,” Left said, trying to pull away. Sigma made the connection—the man was uncomfortable with any form of contact. “I just wanna go through the door, okay? Fuck this guy.” His sharp blue eyes shot daggers at Sigma. Under the sharp gaze, Sigma wondered suddenly if he _had_ made a mistake, and put the women in more danger.  
  
Seven nodded. “Go right there.” He released the clone, who hurried over to the sensor and pressed his hand against it, then walked inside as Clover popped out.  
  
“Look at this!” Clover jumped up and down excitedly in the Water doorway. Sigma hadn’t even noticed her heading inside the door. “This is super cool, okay? It only takes one of us to open the doors, and we can go in and out, as long as we check our bracelets again!”  
  
“Whoa, seriously?” Junpei said, heading into his room. He walked back out. “Yeah, that’s pretty awesome!”  
  
“I know, right?” Clover said excitedly. She ran to the Earth door. “I wonder if I can get into your— _OOW_!”  
  
She jumped back from the door with a start, landing on her rear. She stared up at the door, baffled and looking a bit offended.  
  
“Clover, what happened?” Light asked, immediately at her side. He helped his sister stand.  
  
“It shocked me,” she said, rubbing her wrist. “I mean, not the bracelet—the actual _door_!”  
  
“There’s some kind of charge in the door frame?” Phi was examining the open Fire door suspiciously. “Hmm. Interesting… it seems that there are a few safeguards to keeping the people they want in each room. My question is, how does it know who to target?”  
  
“You can worry about that later,” Aoi said. “It seems obvious that whoever designed this wants certain people in each room, and there’s probably a reason to it besides ‘I thought they looked good together.’ We’ll only figure it out once we’re inside.”  
  
“You _would_ know all about that, wouldn’t you?” Lotus said sweetly. Her expression showed her true feelings.  
  
“Why don’t we agree to meet back here in a few hours?” Phi said, ignoring her. “According to that clock, it’s eight now, so let’s meet here again at noon.”  
  
“That should give us enough time to figure out what’s going on in each place—at least the basics,” Junpei said cheerfully. “C’mon, June, let’s go!”

  
“Okay,” the quiet girl said, taking the hand he offered. “But Jumpy, are you ever going to explain why you keep calling me that?” Her voice trailed off as they headed further into the Earth room.  
  
Phi poked at Sigma as the others validated their bracelets at the sensors and went inside. Aoi was walking through the Fire doorway without hesitation. “C’mon. Let’s not keep him waiting.”  
  
Sigma let out a sigh. “Yeah, but…”  
  
“You can apologize to her later. Even though I doubt you think you did anything wrong except to upset her.” A small grin appeared on Phi’s face. “Anyways, tell me… how long have you been waiting to do that?”  
  
“Probably from the moment I met him,” Sigma confessed.   
  
“Well,” Phi said as they reached the door, “I won’t say it was right or even a remotely intelligent thing to do, but it _ was _ quite satisfying.” The two stepped through the doorway into the next room.

 

 


	16. Alice, Junpei, June

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I'm sorry, I don't understand what you said."

There was a short, nondescript hall leading from the Earth doorway. It went on for a few feet, and then made an abrupt turn. Alice bumped into the pair accompanying her when they stopped suddenly just after turning the corner.  
  
“Ow! What the hell, guys?” she asked, annoyed. “Pay attention to the people you’re with!”  
  
“Oh! I’m sorry!” The girl she was told to call June was the first one to reply. “It’s just… this is a very strange place, isn’t it?” Her eyes flicked between the scene in front of her, and the young man holding her hand tightly.  
  
“I woke up dressed like some fetishized priestess stuffed in a sarcophagus in a mummy’s tomb,” Alice replied dryly. “At this point, _nothing_ is strange.” She stepped around the pair. “So what’s the deal with this?”  
  
The hallway seemed to be that of a fairly normal building. The tiled floor had a black and white checkered pattern, and the walls were a basic white, decorated with a few posters in various states of falling down. Lined along the bottom of the walls were short cubbyholes about two feet deep stacked three tall. A few Japanese-style sliding doors were in between those shelves, and had signs marking a letter and a number for each one jutting out. Everything was covered with a fine layer of dust, and it looked as if no one had been there for a long time.  
  
The place wasn’t anything special to Alice, but it obviously had some meaning to her companions. Both of them were looking around carefully, but not as though they were exploring—more as if they were confirming that things were where they thought they would be. It was a movement she was familiar with, but the two she was with didn’t have the fearful expression her own mother would have as she walked through their apartment every time they returned home.  
  
Junpei ran his hand over the wall, as though confirming it was solid. “Kanny, this is… it’s what I think it is, right?”  
  
The girl nodded firmly, stepping forward. “This is the hallway in our elementary school! I remember walking down this with you almost every day.” She gave a shy smile as she looked back at Junpei.  
  
“I’m assuming your school wasn’t in a weird building like the one we’re in, right?” Alice asked, looking into a few of the cubbyholes. She wrinkled her nose at the dust. “Why is it here? And why such a mess?”  
  
“It’s… a hell of a detailed replica. I mean, it can’t be our actual school. But it looks exactly the same as the one we went to—well, if it had been abandoned for a few years, I guess. I mean. I know it’s been a while but… I have some happy memories there, and I remember them pretty clearly.” He met June’s eyes, and she smiled back.  
  
Alice rolled her eyes at the innocent flirting. “Okay, so who would’ve found that place important enough to make a replica besides you two lovebirds?”

  
“I’m not sure,” Junpei said thoughtfully. “And I’m fairly certain that our school was still open when I left my hometown a few years ago. This looks like it was abandoned the year we were in it.” He held up one of the fallen posters. “See, it has our graduation year on it.”

 

June nodded, looking over her shoulder from the posters she was examining. “Everything that’s dated on this wall is from around that time, too!”  
  
Junpei stood up straight. “If we keep going, our classroom should be the second room on our right. We were 2-A, right?”  
  
“Yes,” the brown haired girl agreed. “Let’s go see if it’s there!” She smiled as she grabbed his hand again. “I haven’t seen it in years, I wonder how much has changed! I mean, unless this really is just a replica. In that case I’ll have to see how many parts they got correct!”   
  
Alice gave a half sigh out of the corner of her mouth. She didn’t get the enthusiasm of the other girl. Even Junpei, whose intelligence level she was slightly suspicious of, seemed cautious, but June seemed excited to explore. She let an entire sigh out as she regarded her ridiculous outfit. “I doubt I’m going to find any decent clothes if this is an elementary school.”  
  
“Well… you never know,” Junpei said as they walked. “During the Nonary Game with me and June, we found all kinds of unexpected objects that helped us to solve puzzles.” He gave a small frown. “It is pretty weird that we haven’t encountered anything like that yet.”  
  
“Oh, Jumpy, you spoke too soon! Look!” June pointed to the door to classroom 2-A.   
  
There was a small numeric pad next to the door, which had a steady red light. A sheet of paper was pinned to the sliding door with a thumbtack. Junpei took it down, reading it.  
  
  
“ _ Retrieve the following for code to 2-A: _ _  
  
_ _ -It has rivers, but no water. It has forests, but no trees. It has cities, but no people. _

_ -People buy it to eat, but never eat it. _

_ -It cannot speak or hear, but always tells the truth. _

_ -It is full of keys, but cannot open any doors. _ ”

  
“Those are all riddles, right?” Alice said. “They sound kind of familiar.”  
  


“Oh, I recognize these!” June said, clapping her hands. “They were in a book I had when I was a child!”  
  
“I think we have to look for these items to find the code,” Junpei said. “I guess it’s just a four digit one—one for each item, right?”  
  
“Logically, yes. What was that first one again?” Alice looked around the hallway as Junpei read the clue again.  
  
“ _It has rivers, but no water. It has forests, but no trees. It has cities, but no people.”_ He shrugged. “I have a feeling this is pretty obvious, but I think I’m missing it.”  
  
“It’s a map!” June said. “I think we’ll definitely find one hanging in this place. I’ll go look!” She hurried off to the nearest bulletin board, examining the various posters.  
  
“Do you wanna take the second or third one, then?” Junpei offered.  
  
Alice frowned. She wasn’t sure she could trust the couple, but she also wasn’t sure she wanted to wander around by herself, especially barefoot in a flimsy outfit. She shook her head. “I’ll look for the next two items, as long as I don’t end up by myself in this weird place.”  
  
Junpei nodded. “Fair enough. We’ll stay nearby—I don’t think the answer would be too far anyways. So the last one’s for me, huh?”  
  
“Yes,” Alice said. “The answer’s a piano, by the way.”  
  
“Oh, yeah, that makes a ton of sense! Which is probably what a piano weighs, too—a _ton_!” The young man laughed at his own joke. Alice’s stoic expression did not change. He stopped a little awkwardly. “Ahem. Okay, I think the music room was on this floor, too…”   
  
“I found a map!” June was already heading back to them. “Look!” She laid the paper on top of the cubbyholes. “See, there’s a mark here.” An arrow pointing left was next to a circled number 7. “I’m not sure what the arrow is for, but when we find the rest of the items I’m sure it’ll make sense!”  
  
“Great job!” Junpei patted June on the back, and she smiled again. Alice made a coughing noise.  
  
“I’ll go look for the mirror—that’s the answer to the third riddle, ‘ _It cannot speak or hear, but always tells the truth’_ ,” she said. “There’s probably a bathroom around here, right? That seems like a pretty logical place.”  
  
“Yes, I can take you!” June said. “Junpei, you’ve got the piano, right? So that just leaves… _People buy it to eat, but never eat it…_ Ah! A plate, right? Maybe we’ll find one along the way.”  
  
“Okay. Give a shout if you need anything,” Junpei replied, and the group separated—June and Alice towards the restroom, and Junpei to find the music room.  
  
“Wait a moment.” Alice stopped before they had gone more than thirty steps beside the door marked 2-B.  She pulled on it, straining a little. The door didn’t budge at all. She nodded. “I don’t think they built anything they didn’t have to,” she said.  
  
June tilted her head in confusion, so Alice continued. “I’m willing to bet that this is simply decoration, and not a real door. It would be insane to build an entire elementary school attached to a ship replica attached to a pyramid. Not only design wise, but the costs would be astronomical.” She tapped her chin. “This was obviously built for you and Junpei. Do you have any ideas why?”  
  
June shook her head. “I don’t know. He keeps talking about a game we played like this a few years ago, but I really don’t understand what he’s describing. I don’t know why anyone would be so interested in the two of us. We’re just regular people, not really interesting or anything.”  
  
“Hmm. So you’re not anyone famous or specially talented, then? What about your family?” The pair resumed walking, and Alice glanced at the older girl out of the corner of her eye as she spoke.  
  
June shook her head again. “No, I’m just an ordinary girl. The only family I have is my big brother Aoi, and he’s pretty average too, although I think he’s the best brother in the world. I don’t think anyone would find that interesting, though.”   
  
“Well, what about your job?” Alice asked as they turned the corner and headed towards the door marked as a girl’s restroom. “Do you have any encounters with shady businesses or people there?”  
  
“I’m sorry?  I don’t understand what you said,” June said, blinking, as she set her hands to push open the restroom door.  
  
“Your _job_ ,” Alice repeated, slightly annoyed. She thought she’d said it clearly. “I mean, you do have one, right?”  
  
“I’m sorry?  I don’t understand what you said,” June said again, still pausing by the door. Alice’s eyebrows furrowed in irritation.  
  
“Are you even paying any attention?” she snapped. “I’m asking about what you do to support yourself. A job, work. Do you understand what I’m saying _now_? Or are you unemployed?”  
  
“I’m sorry?  I don’t understand what you said.”   
  
Even the intonation in the girl’s voice hadn’t changed. She sounded like a skipping record. Alice stepped back. A chill came over her as she regarded the other girl. Something wasn’t right.   
  
June’s face had gone completely blank except for her usual polite smile. She was blinking regularly as she regarded Alice, but her eyes seemed glass-like and empty. Other than the quick flicks of her eyelids, her face was not moving at all. It was as if she was a doll that looked exactly like the girl Alice had just been speaking to.  
  
Some instinct deep inside Alice was screaming at her to run, that it wasn’t safe to be around something so uncanny. She shoved the thought away. It was ridiculous, everything was fine, she was just tired and a bit on edge because of the strange situation. And June must be exhausted too, all her smiles and giggles and flirting with Junpei were probably just a front.  
  
She swallowed as she convinced herself. If she just continued to act as if everything was normal, everything would _be_ normal.  
  
“Hey, June,” she finally said, annoyed her voice was slightly shaky. “Are you… okay?”  
  
The strangeness of the previous moment shattered as June nodded. “Oh yes, I’m fine, thanks! Let’s go check out these mirrors.” She pushed open the bathroom door and walked in.  
  
Alice hesitated before following. What had just happened?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you as always for your comments and kudos. :) It really means so much to me! 
> 
> Thanks as always to drkurashiki for her beta skills.
> 
> There may be a short delay due to the holiday projects I have, but fear not. :)


	17. Luna, Dio, and Clover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Well… it’s kind of scary for you, isn’t it? After all… no one’s got your back.”

There were many things in life that Dio did not like to admit, even to himself.   
  
He did not like to admit that he thought fairly highly of himself, which was clearly opposite to Free the Soul’s teachings about equality. He did not like to admit that although he prided himself on being Left—one of _ the _ Lefts, Brother’s beloved sibling, he also enjoyed having a second name to mark him as an individual. He did not _ want _ to admit that the memories that had flooded his mind made him uncomfortable, even in the ones where he _ hadn’t _ failed his mission. He did not want to admit that he thought his hat was stylish as well as useful for hiding things.   
  
But most of all, he did not want to admit that, in spite of the long torment imposed upon him due to his terrible mistake, in spite of being the actual _ cause _ of that mistake, he was _ still _ attracted to women.  
  
He could deny it all he wanted, but much like his own pride, it wasn’t going to simply vanish by wishing. He felt that he’d been able to squash most of his feelings when he set out on his redemption mission. He’d told himself that acting arrogant was simply to fit in with the humans there, and ignored how naturally it came to him.  
  
So while Dio did not like to admit things, and preferred to ignore them, he was still well aware of them.   
  
And since he was aware of them, he was even more acutely aware that right now, someone else knew these things as well, and they _ absolutely _ were fucking with him.  
  


A pillow smacked his crossed arms, and he felt himself twitch, but refused to move from his spot just inside the doorway. Clover giggled, bouncing on the large canopy bed in the center of the room.  
  
“I’ve always wanted a princess bed like this one! This is great!” She rolled around on the comforter. “This whole suite is pretty nice, but I can’t get over how comfy this bed is. You should join me!”   
  
“ _ No _ ,” Dio said emphatically, absolutely positive that there was nothing in the _ entire _ universe he would like less than to be jumping on a bed with a cheerful and slightly busty pink-haired girl—one that he thought was familiar, but couldn’t possibly be the same girl he’d met during the AB Games. _ This _ Clover seemed just as ditzy but much, much more cheerfully energetic. The one he had met before had also not been as relentlessly brutal with sarcasm and insults. They looked very similar, with long magenta hair highlighted with various other shades of pink, but _ this _ Clover was wearing sensible clothes, rather than prancing around in a shameful outfit.  
  
Clover scoffed, giving him a scornful look as she grabbed another pillow to throw at him.  
  
“Not _ you _ , duh. Luna! Whatcha doin?” She hopped off the bed, heading to Luna.

  
Dio glanced over at the other woman. Luna was sitting quietly at a dressing table, her arms wrapped around herself. She looked as miserable as he felt. Clover draped her arms around Luna’s shoulders in a hug.  
  
“C’mon, Luna, cheer up! We have all these huge luxury rooms to explore! This is like a deluxe suite in a fancy hotel with all the goodies!” She squeezed Luna again. “It’ll be fun, you know?”  
  
Luna didn’t look up, but let out a small sigh. ““I really… I shouldn’t have said that,” she said softly, almost as if she hadn’t heard Clover speaking or felt her arms around her.  
  
The pink-haired girl frowned.  “That Sigma guy’s a jerk! You’re too good for him anyways!” She nodded emphatically. “He’s a creepy pervert. Besides, you saw him! He hits girls!” 

  
“I’m not a fucking _ gi _ —”  
  
Ignoring Dio completely, Clover pointed at Luna’s necklace and changed the subject. “That’s really pretty. Did your boyfriend give that to you?”   
  
“Um. No,” Luna said, biting the corner of her lip as she turned it over in her hands. “It’s…. it’s hard to explain.”  
  
“Well, if it upsets you, you can always pawn it!” Clover said cheerfully. “I’m sure you’d get some decent money and then you could buy yourself something really nice!”   
  
Luna looked absolutely aghast at that statement, but Clover hadn’t noticed. “You can sit here until you feel better, okay? I’m gonna go explore more in the next room.” She dashed out, and both Luna and Dio let out audible sighs of relief.  
  
The relief didn’t last, as he realized they were left alone together with an awkward silence.  
  
“Is she on fucking drugs or something?” Dio finally said, slumping over in a heavily padded chair as far away from Luna as he could get. “I mean, I knew _ a _ Clover, but she wasn’t this off the wall crazy.”

  
“She does seem a bit… manic,” Luna said quietly, not moving from her spot. She looked away from the necklace to the mirror on the table before her. Her eyes were still slightly red, and her hair was a bit loose from its normal braided bun. Her usual calm expression had been replaced with a dull, hopeless one.  
  
Dio shifted awkwardly as she didn’t say anything else for a few minutes. The silence grew unbearable. He didn’t want to start tearing the room apart, looking for clues, while the woman was still sitting there looking dejected, and he certainly didn’t want to go into the other room with Clover and her strangely high spirits. He waited for Luna to move, or speak, but she remained still, lost in her own thoughts.  
  
He let out a deep sigh. “Hey, can you answer a question?”  
  
“Yes?” Luna replied, lifting her head towards him. He really hated that empty expression. He stared at the wall perpendicular to her, and picked the question that had been bothering him the most.  
  
“Sigma. Why’s he young?”  
  
“I don’t know,” Luna said quietly. “He’s…” Her vision shifted down to the side, as if she were trying to find the words, then back up at him again. “Sigma’s consciousness is able to jump through time. So the body he had during the AB Game was who… who he _should_ be, when he’s older… but… not… who he is now…”  
  
She was going to cry again. Dio felt a little panicked, and incredibly trapped. Myrmidons did not cry, something he considered an incredible blessing now. Women, however, seemed to cry fairly often when they weren’t distracted. She wasn’t making any sense, anyways, and would probably make less if she started to sob. He glanced around the room, searching for a distraction, but came up blank. Then—  
  
“Thanks for helping me out yesterday,” he blurted out, although it came out more like _thansforhelpoutyesday_. Luna looked startled, holding up her hands slightly.  
  
“Oh! Um, it’s no problem! I’m just glad you’re feeling better,” she said with a small smile, shaking her hands dismissively. She bit her lip and frowned again. “I’m sorry that Sigma hit you…”  
  
Dio shrugged. The last thing he wanted to do was tell her that he was going to _fucking kill_ the guy she was so distraught over. He might not have been good with people, but he had a pretty fair guess that she wouldn’t take that very well. “It’s not your fault or your problem.”  
  
“Still… the doctor… He wouldn’t have done that,” she whispered.  
  
Again, Dio had no idea what she was talking about, and groaned internally at the idea of having to converse with her more when she seemed about to cry after every single thing he said. He was beginning to wish Clover would return.  
  
“Why don’t we start looking around?” he began to say, but was interrupted by the door into the second room opening. He immediately retracted his preemptive wish as Clover waltzed back in, wearing a large, ridiculous purple hat with a gigantic ostrich plume, a fluffy, leopard print feathered boa, and carrying a shiny gold cane.

  
“Hey! Look what I found!” She took off the hat and placed it on Luna’s head. “They have a giant closet filled with all kinds of stuff. I’ll finally be able to get out of my work clothes!”

  
“Did you find anything _useful_?” Dio demanded, frowning. Clover shot him a cutting smile.  
  
“Don’t worry, I’m sure I’ll be able to find something to fix your wardrobe, too,” she said, twirling the cane and pointing it at him. “And yes, as a matter of fact, I did.”  
  
His frown deepened as she didn’t elaborate, and continued twirling the stick and fluffing the boa in the mirror. “Useful? Like what?”  
  
“I’m not telling!” Clover taunted in a childish voice, sticking out her tongue at him.  
  
“We should probably… start searching…” Luna politely interrupted, breaking the argument before it could begin as she stood up and straightened her skirts. She took the hat off and set it neatly on the table as she took a deep breath. “There are three rooms, right, Clover?”  
  
“Four if you count the closet,” Clover said. “This room, and another bedroom, the closet, and a bathroom. Everything’s so fancy!” She gave a sardonic smile. “Definitely an upgrade from my last Nonary Game. Sometime you guys’ll have to tell me about yours.”  
  
“Well, you were there—” Dio started, but Luna quickly cut him off again.   
  
“Dio, would you like to search this room, and Clover, you can show me what you found?”  
  
“Yup! You can search while I dress you up! Looking better is the first step to cheering up for a girl, you know!” Clover grabbed Luna’s arm and pulled her into the next room. Luna looked a little helpless as she followed, but Dio had absolutely no intentions of saving her.  
  
He let out a relieved sigh and began to survey the room he was in.  
  
It was an opulent bedroom, but there were no windows. It seemed as if it was in the center of a hotel, or perhaps a cruise ship. He wasn’t quite sure, since those weren’t really things he was familiar with, but he’d seen pictures. It seemed like something from another century. He made a face at himself in the mirror as he realized it was unlikely he’d find any way to contact Free the Soul for further instructions. He couldn’t see any technology anywhere in this room. Even the lightbulbs looked ancient.  
  
This didn’t feel like a Nonary Game, either. There weren’t any obvious puzzles, and there didn’t seem to be any threat of dying, unless it was from one of the other people snapping. They’d seemed pretty nonviolent so far, except for Sigma. Well, just let the asshole try something again. He still had his knife, at least, and his head felt clear now—unless he tried to focus on his recent memories. The slight throbbing began when he tried to pin down exactly where he had been before waking up in this place, so he pushed it out of his mind.  
  
The room was more furniture than seemed necessary. There was the giant canopied bed Clover had been bouncing on, the chair he’d been slouched in, and the dressing table Luna had been sitting at, as well as two sets of drawers, two bedside tables, and a desk. All of it was dark, highly polished wood carved with leaves and vines.  
  
He kicked a little at the carpet. It was very thick and soft, with a geometric pattern. _Ridiculous_ , he thought, trying not to enjoy the slight spring as he sat down next to the first set of drawers. He began to check inside them methodically. Empty. He pulled each one out, feeling around for any secret areas. Still nothing.  
  
He headed to the next set, and again, the drawers were ~~~~empty. He let out a low, frustrated growl.  
  
“Is this for fucking real? What a goddamn pain,”  he complained, leaning back against the side of the bed and running his hand over his face. A bright flash appeared and the clone blinked.  
  
“Huh?” He heard a strange mechanical _whir_ , and then a familiar laugh.  
  
“Wow, you’re gonna look really stupid in this one!” Clover was standing in the doorway holding a small piece of paper, shaking it. There was a strange device in her other hand. “I guess it can’t be helped, cameras can only capture what’s there.”

  
“Are you some kind of overgrown child?” he asked, glaring up at her. “Stop fucking around!”  
  
“I found some things that are pretty interesting,” she said, grinning and not rising to the bait. “First of all, there’s this!” She held out the camera. “This is ~~~~antique— not as old as some of this furniture is, but pretty far back. It prints off a picture as you take it!” She scowled. “There doesn’t seem to be any way of double checking the image before it prints, though. That’s kind of a pain.” She shrugged. “At least it has a timer.”  
  
“What the hell good is _that_ gonna do us?” Dio demanded. “What about anything to communicate with the outside, or information about where we even are?”  
  
“Hmm, there might be. There’s a safe I haven’t opened yet,” Clover said, tapping a finger on her chin. She smiled as Dio perked up. “I mean, I _guess_ I could work on it now, but…”  
  
“Get to it already! I mean, come on, don’t you want out of this place?” he snapped. Clover shrugged.  
  
“What’s the hurry? _I’m_ not worried about anything. Nothing’s trying to kill me, my brother’s here, and so are some really good friends. Seems like a fair deal to me, so I don’t know why you’re whining.” She stopped, and her grin seemed to grow slightly malicious. “Ooh, I get it. You don’t _have_ any friends. I mean, nobody here seems to like you _at all_ , except maybe Luna, but I think she’s the type that’s nice to _everyone_.”  
  
He frowned, unsure why the remark seemed to sting a bit. “Yeah, so?”  
  
Clover laughed. “Well, at least you’re aware of that. It’s a shame, though.”  
  
“What makes you say that?”  
  
“Well… it’s kind of scary for you, isn’t it? After all… no one’s got your back.”

  
There was a pause. Dio was about to question the ominous comment when they heard shuffling footsteps.

  
“ Um, Clover? Are you really sure about this?” They looked up. Luna was standing in the doorway, covering herself with the door. “I mean… this is kind of…”  
  
“Let me see!” Clover hopped over, pulling the door open. She gasped. “Oh, wow! Luna, you look so pretty!”

  
The first thing Dio noticed was that Luna had her hair down. It was longer than he’d expected, falling past her waist. She was wearing a floor length violet evening gown that glittered as she shifted awkwardly. An attached cape flowed down behind her. The collar was modest, but her arms were bare, and she shivered a little. She gave a small smile that was more like an embarrassed cringe.  
  
“I knew that color would be great on you,” Clover said approvingly, straightening the hem and regarding Luna with a smile. “See, doesn’t she look beautiful?”  
  
“She looks ridiculous,” Dio said flatly, trying to ignore how flushed he suddenly felt. He coughed. “Anyways, didn’t you say something about a safe?”  
  
“Come on, let me do your hair!” Clover said, ignoring him again and tugging Luna to sit down at the dressing table. She opened the drawer. “Yes, they have a brush. Hmm, let’s see…” She began to play with Luna’s auburn tresses.  
  
“Are you serious? What the heck are you doing?” Dio demanded. “This isn’t fucking playtime!”  
  
“OH! That’s right!” Clover set the brush down. “I almost forgot, you need to get ready too. Come with me!” The girl reached to grab his hand and he yanked it away just in time. She walked into the second room, and he followed.  
  
“Where’s this safe?” Dio asked, looking around. The room was similar to the one they’d just been in. The bed was a little smaller, and there was only one bedside table with a drawer that was open and empty. A door on the opposite wall from the one he’d entered was closed, and locked when he tested the handle.  Another door led into an unremarkable bathroom.  
  
The strangest thing about the room was that it had pictures hanging on every wall but one, which had an empty frame. He looked closer at one of the photos. It was a group of three people in formal wear. He didn’t recognize any of them, which didn’t surprise him as the photo was old and sepia-toned.  
  
Clover had gone into the huge closet, humming to herself as if he hadn’t asked her a question. He went to peek inside when she exited, carrying an armful of clothes.  
  
“I’m not positive of your fit, but I think they’ll work.” She shoved the pile at him. “Put these on.”  
  
“What?” he said, incredulous, but taking the clothing out of reflex anyways. She rolled her eyes up at him in a glare.  
  
“Put. Them. On. Geez, can you even hear? Maybe it’s those silly braids blocking your eardrums or something.” She walked back into the closet and picked up another small pile of clothes, then walked to the other room. “Knock when you’re ready!”  
  
Dio stood there a moment, his emotions conflicting with his mind. On one hand, he _really_ wanted to chase Clover down and smack some sense into her. On the other, he had a feeling that Luna would not appreciate more violence, and somehow that was what settled it.  
  
“Can’t afford both of them against me,” he muttered to himself.   
  
He caught his reflection in the mirror on the closet door and paused, scowling. He had a slight bruise from where Sigma had hit him, and dark circles under his eyes. His hat had seen better days, and his clothes were wrinkled from passing out. Maybe new clothes wouldn’t be such a bad idea. Plus, he had a suspicion based on the pictures hanging on the walls, and the one empty frame, that there was finally a puzzle to solve.  
  
He ventured into the closet. It was very large—at least the size of a small room, and like Clover had said, there was a large safe at the back. It had a dial to match the numbers. He looked around, but didn’t see any hint of a code, just tons of costumes hung up in no apparent order. He pulled out one to discover it was a black Santa Claus costume. The next one he looked at appeared to be a fitted bunny suit.  He didn’t touch any more after seeing the one behind it, which seemed to be a collection of leather straps.  
  
“Weird.” He decided to see what Clover had picked out rather than rooting through the mess on his own.  
  
A few minutes later, he was dressed in fancy evening wear—a black suit with long coattails, dark red vest, even a matching top hat. He gave a slight grin in the mirror. Clover did seem to have some fashion taste after all. He shook his head. _Of_ course _I look great, I’m_ Left _. It’s got nothing to do with that brat._ __  
  
He walked back over to the door to the first room and knocked.  
  
“Come in!” Clover sang. He walked in, shrugging at her.  
  
“Are you satisfied?” He made a small circle.  
  
The girl squinted as she observed him. She’d changed into a short black party dress with pink straps, and had the large boa wrapped over her shoulders. Her hair was pulled into an updo, and she had ostentatious sparkling earrings and a diamond collar necklace.  
  
Clover finally nodded in approval. “I did a great job figuring out which ones would fit you. Ah, I almost forgot!” She picked up something from the dresser. “Here you go!”  
  
Dio held up the object, confused. “Is this some kind of lens?”  
  
“It’s a monocle!” Clover grinned. “I’ve never seen one in real life before. But it fits in our over-the-top fancy theme! Oh and your hair’s gotta go, though. Those braids make you look like a milkmaid. Just pull it back. Luna, are you ready?”  
  
“Um, I suppose. Clover, what are we doing?” Luna said. Her wavy auburn hair was still down, but Clover had pulled a few strands back from her face and settled a small tiara on her head. She gave Dio a sympathetic look, but he quickly looked away.  
  


“You’ve probably figured it out, but this is for the puzzle in the other room.” Dio rolled his eyes, and Luna stared in open surprise. Clover wrinkled her nose in disgust. “What, you honestly thought I was dressing us up like _this_ to just kind of hang out?”  
  
Dio opened his mouth and then shut it with a sigh. He began to pull his hair out of the braids and back into a single tail like Clover had suggested. “Whatever, just show us this puzzle.”  
  
The feisty girl hurried into the next bedroom. “C’mon!”  
  
Luna stood up and straightened her skirts, then began to follow. He noticed that her dress was cut low in the back, showing a small bit of skin under her thick hair, and the cape, while it was attached to both straps, did not meet in the middle until her waist. He could now understand why she’d seemed so uncomfortable.  
  
Clover had taken the camera and set it down on the small set of drawers by the bed so that it was pointing at the opposite wall.  
  
“Okay! So, you probably noticed that the pictures around the room are on every wall but one, right?” Clover began. “Each one has a group in formal wear. But this one—” she pointed “is an empty frame. Not just that, but if you look closely, there’s something behind it. I wanna say a scanner of some kind?”  
  
“So you’re thinking it’ll scan whatever picture we put in?” Dio asked, poking at the frame. It was solidly attached to the wall, and he was surprised Clover had been able to figure out there was something behind it other than an empty backing. Technology was a good sign that he’d be able to find a communication device somewhere in this mess, even if it wasn’t in that room.  
  
“Well, not just _any_ picture will do,” Clover said, shaking her head. ”I tried putting a selfie in it, and then a pic of the furniture, but I guess it has to match the theme of the other pictures.”  
  
“Why not use one of the ones hanging on the other walls?” Dio asked, dubious. Clover rolled her eyes.  
  
“I can’t remove them, and before you ask the glass is too shiny to get a decent photo. This is _much_ easier. And more fun! I love dressing up. We all look great—even you!”  
  
Dio was annoyed that he felt flushed after the compliment.  He wasn’t used to those—Myrmidons _knew_ that they were perfect, after all.  Why repeat a fact?  
  
The girl turned back to the camera. “Okay, so Luna, you stand on the left, Dio, you stand on the right— _closer_! You’re not even remotely in the frame. Um, straighten your hat a bit—good. Oh! Don’t forget the monocle. Now I’m gonna set the timer and run up in the middle so be ready!”

  
When they were adjusted to her liking, Clover pressed the button and ran between the two of them, spinning around, bending over slightly, and making a “V” with each hand.

  
Dio winced as the flash went off. Luna also looked a little stunned by it, blinking her wide blue eyes. Clover was already moving again, picking up the photo as it printed out and shaking it. He wasn’t sure what that movement was for. Luna gave a tired sigh and leaned against the wall.  She looked exhausted. He realized she was right next to him and quickly sidestepped away.  
  
“Ta-da! Look how cute we are!” Clover held out the first photo, and Luna thankfully moved even further from Dio to look at it. She laughed, surprising him.  
  
“We do make a fairly odd group, but it is a nice photo,” she said with a smile. “Clover, do you mind if I keep this when we’re finished with it?”  
  
“No, go right ahead!” Clover replied. “I found more film, so I can record the rest of our adventures. Now, let’s see…”  
  
She slid the photo up into the empty frame. They waited for a moment, then there was a _ding_ and a slight click. Dio walked towards the second noise—the door leading out of the room was unlocked. He opened it, and saw a hallway he remembered—from the Ambidex Game on the moon.  
  
“What the fuck,” he muttered, stepping back so his companions could get a look.  
  
“That’s weird.  It doesn’t match this room at all.  Well, I guess we can move on,” Clover said, beginning to step forward. Dio held out his arm to block her.  
  
“Hold it. What about that safe?” Dio asked, wondering if this time she’d acknowledge the question. Clover perked up.  
  
“Ooh yeah, I forgot about that! I can open it now.” She walked to the closet, then paused. “You guys need to be really quiet, okay? Actually, you should go into the other room. It’ll make it a lot easier.” Dio hoped his grimace wasn’t noticeable.  
  
“Why are you so sure you can open it?” he asked. “Did you find a combination or something?”  
  
“I have a special skill,” Clover said. “But a lady never shares her secrets!”  
  
“Who the hell’s a lady he—”  
  
“Okay, Clover, and thank you for taking care of it,” Luna interrupted again, walking to the door. Dio closed his mouth. Somehow, no matter how she shut down the conversations, she managed to do it in a non-offensive way. “Oh, but first… can we change out of these?” She tugged slightly at the dress.  
  
“Oops—yes! I picked out another outfit for you,” Clover said, turning to a pile in the closet. She handed them to Luna. “Here you go. You can use the bathroom to change.” Luna accepted the clothing and walked into the small room--stopping briefly to remove the photo. She smiled at it again.  
  
“What about me?” Dio asked.  
  
“You look fine as you are,” Clover said. “Definitely better than you did before. Although frankly, I’d lose the top hat and the monocle. They’re a little… ostentatious.”  
  
“You’re wearing a boa,” he replied flatly.  
  
She giggled, swinging it around. “Yeah, it’s really fun, but it’ll get in the way eventually. So I’m going to change too—which means you need to get out!” She made a shooing motion, and he shook his head and headed towards the other door.   
  
When he closed the door, he slumped against it with a sigh. Women were exhausting.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you all so much for the kudos and comments, they really make my day. <3 Drkurashiki is still a wonderful beta reader.
> 
> This was one of my favorite chapters to write so far. :D


	18. Lotus, Seven, Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m not the one in danger right now, Hazuki is.”

The Air trio found themselves walking down a long hallway, with doors on every side which would not open when Seven checked them. By the very end of the hallway, Lotus was certain she knew where they were—or at least, the place that it was made to represent. She walked ahead to the last doors and opened one easily. Seven raised an eyebrow.  
  
“This is the first room Aoi and I explored. If it is the same design, that door at the end will be locked, and the one across the hall will also be open.” She let out a sigh of relief. “I can’t say I miss the RED and DEAD readers, even though the bombs were a lie. It’s much more relaxing to take our time.”  
  
“Yeah, this one’s locked,” Seven said, testing the door at the end. “There is a keyhole, though. Guess that’s what we’re looking for.”  
  
“Is there a symbol on it?” Light asked. The large man shook his head.  
  
“Nope, so I’m hoping that means there’s only one key to find.” He turned to the doorway across the hall, and opened it easily. “Yup, you’re right on this one, too.”  
  
Lotus nodded smugly. “I never had any doubts. I have a wonderful memory, you know. And I didn’t think that they’d go to the trouble of recreating this hallway if they were going to put new rooms in it.” She turned to the first door and walked through it.  
  
Just as she’d suspected, it was the second-class cabin of the Gigantic. The tile puzzle that Junpei had dubbed the “Funyarinpa” was hanging on the wall, completed, and the glass cabinet displaying ceramic plates lined one wall. There were plush sofas and a second room behind this one. It looked almost exactly the same as the one she remembered—with one difference she was very glad to see.  
  
“There’s a wardrobe here, so I’ll be checking that first if you don’t mind.” She opened the furniture’s door and let out a huge sigh of relief, along with an eye roll. “FINALLY. Clothes.”  
  
“A lack of them never seemed to bother you before,” Seven said with a grin. She spun around and raised her hand, but he put his up defensively with a smile, blinking innocently. Lotus made a wry face and turned back to examine the hanging outfits.  
  
She pulled out a long, grey dress and turned back to her husband, laying it over herself. “It looks like it’s from the era when the Titanic sank—or even earlier, maybe, but it should do.”  
  
“Seems a little small in the waist,” Seven observed, his smile belying the criticism.  
  
“WHAT WAS THAT?” This time Lotus stomped over towards him with fiery eyes. Light cleared his throat gently, breaking the tense moment.  
  
“I believe one is meant to wear a corset under many of the dresses from those years,” Light said, gently touching the fabric. “Is there more clothing in there?”  
  
“Hmm… Yes, but not much. And this is strange.” She pulled out a plaid shirt and a pair of black pants. She looked inside the waistband, then turned back to her husband. “They’re your size exactly.” She tossed them at him.  
  
“Seems to be from a completely different era than your dress, too,” Seven replied, shaking them out and double checking. “I’d say this style was popular around the time of the second Nonary Game.”  
  
“What else is inside?” Light asked. “Is it only clothing?”  
  
“Seems so. Not much. Corsetry, stockings and socks, two pairs of shoes—for me and him, I suppose—and a hat, but I don’t think I’ll be adding that to my outfit.” Lotus held up the small hat overshadowed by a huge feather and shook her head. “A corset and long skirt is one thing, but this is absolutely not acceptable.”  
  
The woman frowned, folding the dress under her arms as she crossed them underneath her ample bosom. “I suppose this is one of the reasons we were sent through this room. These are clearly intended for us, although I wish they’d been a little more aware of my personal style.” She shrugged. “Better than running about half naked.”  
  
“I thought that _was_ your personal style, hon—”  
  
“LISTEN, YOU—”   
  
Light interrupted with a cough, slightly awkwardly. “I believe we can examine the rest of the room, then?”  
  
Lotus cleared her throat loudly. “No, not yet—I’d think that would be obvious.” She stepped back and turned to the men expectantly, who both regarded her with blank expressions. She made a disgusted face and slapped her hands on her hips.  
  
“ _OUT_ ,” she said. “Do you really expect me to change in front of you?”  
  
“Well, he’s blind, and it’s nothing I ain’t seen befo—”

  
The feathered hat was flung through the air and smacked into Seven’s forehead. “ _OUT. NOW_.”  
  
Light scurried after Seven into the hallway without further question.  
  
Once outside, the men sighed and leaned against the wall with relief. “That’s my lady,” Seven said, shaking his head and grinning. He looked at Light. “You probably think we’re nuts, huh?”  
  
“You have a very strong bond,” Light replied with a serene smile. “I do not think it is mine to understand it deeper than that.” He paused. “However, I do have a question for you, if you do not mind.”  
  
“I’ve got a quick one for you, too,” Seven said, already changing into the other clothing. “Mind if I go first?”  
  
Light turned his back from courtesy rather than necessity. “Not at all. What is it?”

  
“I saw you go over to Santa—Aoi—before we went into the doors. What’d you ask him about?” Seven finished pulling on the shirt and pants and began to pull on the socks and shoes. Light turned halfway back towards him, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms.  
  
“It was a simple question. I wished to know if he truly believed that girl Junpei said was Akane—or June— was really his sister. He said yes—but again emphasized that she was missing more than her memories.” Light drummed a finger on his elbow gently. “I had confronted him in the night about whether he was absolutely Aoi Kurashiki, and I do believe he was telling the truth then, as well as now. But I’m certain we are not from the same timeline. Our memories of the Nonary events diverge considerably.”  
  
Seven sighed and scratched his hairline. “This shit seems a little beyond me, no matter how many times Hazuki or anyone explains it. I mean, it makes sense, it’s just too meta or something for a guy like me to wrap my head around, you know?” His brow wrinkled in thought. “But the other thing, he and Junpei were referring to that girl as only ‘half’ of Akane. They seemed relatively unconcerned about it, but she looked pretty whole to me. Seemed to be the exact same girl we played my first game with.” He frowned. “It’s still kinda hard to think that she was tricking us the whole time then, y’know?”  
  
“Hmm, I’m not sure trickery was her exact intent,” Light mused. “Other than hiding her identity as Zero, and her intentions behind the game—which makes sense, considering the situation—I feel that she was simply trying to be who she was before the very first game happened, the one that set these events into motion. Despite the gravity of the situation, I think she wished to spend as much innocent time with her childhood sweetheart as she could.” He tapped his fingers again thoughtfully. “It seems that she is obviously very, very much more than that now. I don’t know how such a powerful Esper—one who can observe multiple timelines—could possibly exist without losing their mind.”  
  
The calm man turned fully to face the large one. “But it seems that part, the Esper— is the part of her that is missing. She lacks those memories, and perhaps that is a good thing. While it is possible that she is the one behind this, I cannot fathom a motive for that at present. It may be that she developed a personality split in order to protect her human brain from burning out completely. But that’s only a theory—and one grown from the hypothesis that she is _not_ Zero in this game…. if there even is a specific Zero.” His face grew serious. “None of this seems to make much sense if we assume it is a Nonary Game. I have yet to truly feel any danger, nor encounter any puzzles to solve.”  
  
“That bugs me too,” Seven agreed, nodding. “But we need more information before we can develop any good theories.” He stretched, then picked up and folded his previous pants over his arms. “So you answered my question pretty fully—so what’s yours?”

  
Light placed one hand on his chin. “Is there a reason behind both you and your wife using code names again? I know you never minded when Clover or I slipped and called you Seven, but I find it interesting that Lotus requested to be referred to that as well. I believe she, myself and Junpei will have to be very careful about not letting your real identity slip when speaking around the ones we do not know.”

  
“Heh, I’m the one that already fucked that up when she was ready to beat the shit outta Aoi,” Seven said, running his hand over his head with a sigh. “When she gets spitting mad like that, only her first name seems to snap her out of it. Hopefully no one noticed… But although she suggested it for me first, right now, the code name’s not actually for me.”  
  
Light raised his eyebrows and gave a small nod of encouragement, and the other man continued.  
  
“You see… Hazuki’s been busy in the years past the Nonary Game. She and the girls finally were able to talk about what happened. Now that she’s been through it, too, she could understand what they were saying. Made it a lot easier. They didn’t think she’d believe them before—that, and well, it was pretty damn traumatizing for a buncha kids to talk about, y’know?” He leaned back against the wall. “She contacted me almost as soon as we were settled back in Japan, already with a plan to find out the others who were responsible for the first game. We know a set up that big wasn’t created by just Hongou and the two that died back there.”  
  
“You mean Cradle Pharmaceuticals?” Light sounded surprised. “I admit, I had thought they would be destroyed by Hongou’s arrest. I hadn’t heard much in the news after the trial announcement.” His mouth turned downwards. “Perhaps it was naïve of me to assume that there would be more men that needed to be brought to justice, but my main concern was creating a safe life for me and Clover.” He turned his head away, with a hard to read expression. “We had… family problems when we returned. It wasn’t easy to escape from them.”  
  
Seven nodded, acknowledging his friend’s pain without prying for more details. “Yeah…. I kinda figured when our communications with each other were pretty sporadic. But anyways, to get back to your question—yeah, there were more people in on this plan. I don’t think the builders of that building really knew exactly what they were getting into, it was probably a ‘don’t ask questions’ kinda deal for them. But the others, like the ones that knew about the details and what the potentially deadly outcomes were, and the ones who hunted down Esper children, and the ones that were gonna dissect the data when it was all done—they all seem to have gone deep underground after Hongou’s arrest.”  
  
The large man’s face darkened, adding alevel of intimidation to his tense posture. “But they’re still pretty darn powerful, and dangerous. Who knows what they’re planning now? Even if Hongou’s first plan was a failure, Akane’s was a success—and I’m willing to bet he’s found a way to communicate that to his co-conspirators, even if the main company threw him under the bus. The project meant too much to a driven guy like him for him to just give it up, and I’m certain he’s got enough connections—especially after what we’ve discovered—to be confident he won’t be in jail for long.”  
  
Seven paused to sigh. “But we know these guys we’re searching for are dangerous, y’know? I mean, for me, it’s not a big deal. I still do investigation work and I can take care of myself pretty well when knockout gas ain’t involved. So Hazuki hired me, and well…” He gave a shy smile. “I guess we hit it off pretty well.”  
  
“I would say so, since you ended up married,” Light said with a smile. “I think most of us guessed that your bickering was a form of flirting.” Seven blushed.  
  
“Well, we just realized that when we weren’t around to fight each other, it was really lonely. And we’re a hell of a team. Which brings me back to your original question.” His face grew serious again. “I’m not the one in danger right now, Hazuki is.”  
  
Light waited for him to continue, giving a small nod of understanding.  
  
“So y’know I can take care of myself, so I’m okay with being a target. Hazuki fought me like hell over it. I had to deal a kind of low blow when I reminded her she’s got two daughters who need her in their lives, no matter how old they are now.” He sighed. “Don’t think she’s ever gonna forgive me for that one, but she finally agreed that I’d be the one taking credit for our work. So right now, no one knows she’s involved, but she’s doing the majority of the work tracking these guys down.”  
  
“Because of her computer skills,” Light said, nodding again. “I’ve heard they are quite impressive although I have not truly witnessed them in action. But the goal is for people to assume that you are the one who is digging up the info on these powerful people?”  
  
“They only know it’s a guy in Japan who may have been a cop because of the info I’ve leaked, so there’s no link to any Lotus. Not sure if they’ve made any connections yet to me, but I’ve been laying out the bait. It’s not just Lotus doing the real work, though—her girls are amazing too. Nona picked right up on her mom’s computer talents and has been doing her mother’s real work—They seem to think that it can’t be Hazuki prying around like she was before, because she’s still busy with her programming jobs. That's the guess, based on a few emails we saw before they stopped abruptly. As for Ennea, she’s been covering her sister’s activities along with her own. She looks enough alike her that she can fake being both when she needs to.” He grinned. “Lotus is a hell of a woman and it shows in those young ladies more than anything else.”  
  
“You have a good team on your side,” Light agreed. “But you are intentionally making yourself an extremely obvious target. Why?”  
  
Seven sighed, giving a dejected shrug. “Well, to be honest… we’re stuck. Hazuki could only get in so far into Cradle’s records, and as soon as they noticed we were nosing around about their secret project, all references to it stopped in every area we could access—and she's pretty sure she cracked the _entire_ Cradle system. It seems the files we _really_ need to prove how fucked up that place is aren’t just tightly encrypted—they’re on their own system. Not one of those computers is connected to anything other than each other. We only know they exist from those mails. So we needed to try a different tack.”  
  
“You want them to come after you in hopes of revealing their identities,” Light said, awareness dawning. “but given that company’s pull, are you certain that won’t end in a disaster?”  
  
Seven nodded. “That’s a big chance we gotta take. It ain’t safe, I know, but the way it seems, Cradle’s not entirely under the control of the people who planned the kidnappings. It seems like those are a few people, way, way high up in the chain. And that means they’re the only ones who would know what exactly we’re digging for. They got reasons to wanna keep that shit covered up, y’know? But they can’t expose themselves that easily. After the project failure and arrest of their CEO for kidnapping, abuse, and who the hell knows what else—he’s an international criminal now—I don’t think they’ve got the pull to use all the resources they need to shut us up. They’d have to admit culpability for the crimes Hongou is charged with to other employees who might not be that happy about it, and if they went to the police, that would destroy those guys.”  
  
Light crossed his arms again and tapped a finger on his chin thoughtfully. “If I am understanding correctly, you’re hoping that only one or a small number of those men who were fully involved—or someone close enough to them to know their identities—is going to hunt you—the “hacker” cop—down personally?”  
  
Seven let out a grunt of agreement. “It’s my hope. Everything we do, we do under the name Seven. That’s why we stuck with that even here, in case any of those other guys were involved and would wanna make a move on me. I don’t think so, though. It really does seem they’re just other participants. None of them had any flicker of recognition when we introduced ourselves as such. And every time we come close to referring to it, it’s all my project. Like she said out there, sayin’ it was my job that’s dangerous. It’s true, but she’d be in greater danger if they knew she even existed, let alone as the driving force. So she’s just my wife “Lotus” who’s tryin’ to keep her real husband’s identity safe by hiding both our real names, in case anybody’s watching us. Haven’t seen any cameras, though. But after that wall trick, I can’t really be sure there’s not tech here I’ve never seen.”  
  
His eyes darkened. “So when they come—and I know they’re gonna if we keep rattling their cages—I want it to be to me. If it were her, they’d be able to take her out, easily. She’s pretty strong and feisty, but she don’t know combat like I do, or the things people are capable of.” He sighed again. “I’m not proud of it, but I’ll do what it takes to get the information we need out. And that’s something I don’t want Hazuki to dirty her hands with.”  
  
“But they could target her to get to you if they’re aware of your connection, could they not?” Light said. Seven let out a sigh, his face troubled.  
  
“Well, in Japan, if the people responsible still had that pull to eliminate people easily, they probably would have taken care of us before _any_ of the hacking we’ve done could be accomplished. I’m positive they don’t. Right now, they’re tryin’ to pin everything they can on Hongou, but we know there’s still some poison in that company and they’re gonna pay their dues too. And here, it’s possible they’ll want “Seven’s” wife, but I don’t intend to leave her with anybody that can’t protect her for any length of time.” He frowned again. “I do everything I can to keep her and the girls safe. If it comes down to that, god forbid, they’ll still be after me foremost. So if they do… get their hands on them, they’re only good as hostages. I could bargain for her freedom, or the girls’, in exchange for myself…..” He stared into the distance with a troubled expression, then shook it off.  
  
“But I don’t think that’s gonna happen, you know? Anything happens to those girls, or their mother, and people are _immediately_ gonna be thinking Cradle. And it won’t take long for them to see through any code names to find her real identity if they have her with them. The girls have already had to testify at a pretrial, done a few magazine interviews—people know who they are. Hazuki’s kept pretty mum about her experiences, though, the media seems to think that she’s just a supportive mom, not someone who experienced it as well.” He gave a wry grin. “I mean, I think we’ve all been like that, you know? Even though Akane and Aoi put us through hell, they had good reasons. So I don’t think any of us would feel right about tossing them to the wolves.”  
  
“No, I would definitely not,” Light said, nodding emphatically. “I was able to trust Aoi completely once I knew his identity as one of the original players. Their goal was not to hurt any of us, and the game they created—while dangerous—did have an extremely important purpose, and ways were provided so that no one would be hurt at all. Hongou, however, seemed fine ignoring those options.” His brows narrowed. “The man is a monster.”  
  
“So that’s about it. Any more questions? I mean, besides why it’s taking my wife so long to put on clothes.” He let out a bellowing laugh. “Well, maybe not that curious, considering what she normally wears…”  
  
A knock sounded on the door behind them, making them both jump. Light hoped for Seven’s sake that Lotus had not heard the previous comment. She cracked open the door a few inches and peeked out, her face flushed, but she frowned.  
  
“You didn’t search the other room yet? What are you even doing?”  
  
“Ah, sorry,” Seven said, rubbing the back of his head apologetically. “We got caught up on the stuff we’re going through, and it kinda took longer than I thought. But not as long as you. Can we come in?”  
  
“NO!” She closed the door to a smaller crack. “I mean… S-seven, come in here. I… I need some help.”  
  
“Getting dressed? You know I prefer to help with the other way around—” A hand reached out from the door and yanked the man in by his collar.  
  
“Oh shut up and just get in here!” The door closed again.  
  
Light covered his smile and waited. He carefully went over all the information Seven had just told him, adding it to his own thoughts and experiences. His face grew serious as he began to consider the implications. If there was a Zero in this game, could it be someone linked to Cradle? Were they all in danger—was this a plan to eliminate every player of certain Nonary Games in one fell swoop? His expression twisted down again. It didn’t seem logical—after all, there had been no danger, although Sigma and Phi had been quite intent on classifying the man Dio as a threat, they had still let him leave with Clover and Luna—a woman Sigma obviously cared about—without complaint, so the blonde man could not have been a great concern. He hadn’t felt any stress or alarm from his sister yet, so he felt able to trust their decision.  
  
After a few minutes of musing, he heard the door open again. “I think we’re ready to start searching in earnest,” Lotus said. “This corset was rather difficult to get on—along with the buttons in the back of the dress—but it’s surprisingly comfortable.”  
  
“You look, uh… conservative,” Seven teased. Lotus gave his arm a light smack.  
  
“Enough with that nonsense. Let’s get started exploring these rooms.”  
  
The three set to work.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the views and kudos and the super wonderful comments. I can't say enough how happy it makes me to see people enjoying this. :) I know this one took a little bit, but seeing those comments definitely helped inspire me to work faster! :D So don't be afraid to keep it up ;)
> 
> Thanks as always to drkurashiki for the beta.


	19. Aoi, Sigma, Phi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You ever loved anybody, Sigma?”

Phi followed Sigma into a dimly-lit, medium sized room with six rows of tables spread across it on layered tiers leading down to the front. Each table had five or six wireless monitors and a keyboard, but only two in the entire room were powered on.  A retro bouncing screensaver was displayed.  There was some space where the tables stopped, then a podium and small table with a printer on it, and finally a large screen on the very far wall, giving it the appearance of a classroom. Beside the screen was a door with a slot for a keycard.  
  
“I know this place,” Sigma said.  Phi  looked up at him.  His eyes seemed vacant, as though he’d left to search through his memories to find where they were.  He shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut then opening them.  “Eh, it’s no good.  I can’t remember _where_ this is, I just know that I have been here.”  
  
“Let’s look around, maybe something will jog your memory,” she offered.  He nodded and walked to one of the tables with a lit monitor.  Phi headed towards the front of the room.  
  
Aoi was standing before the large screen on the back wall, a silhouette against the monitor’s light. He seemed to be regarding the information on it—columns of letters and numbers.  Phi silently walked up beside him.    
  
“Door’s locked,” he said without preamble.  “Not particularly surprised by that, though.  The printer can do keycard creation, but it needs a file.”  He didn’t turn from the screen, touching a spot on it.  It lit up red and then faded.  He made a small grunt, then poked another spot.  It turned yellow.  
  
“And that’s probably in those computers,” Phi said.  The white-haired man nodded briefly without looking at her.    _I see you’re a talker,_ Phi thought.   _Gonna be a blast working with you_ …  
  
“These are… stock columns, right?” she attempted again, placing her hand on her chin. The man nodded, slicking his hand back through his hair—which only seemed to make it look a bit wilder.  She looked back to the screen. “I’m guessing there’s a puzzle hidden in there, then.”  
  
“Yeah, that’s the idea,” Aoi replied, sounding vaguely irritated.  He finally glanced down at the considerably shorter woman.  “You’re not gonna throw up on me again, right?”  
  
“Wh—  _no_ !”  She was annoyed to feel herself flushing in embarrassment.  “C-can we just forget about that?”  The man shrugged then stretched, his muscles expanding and contracting as he let out a deep breath.  
  
“Sure, whatever.  I’m gonna go ahead and focus on this, if you don’t mind. I’m kind of an expert on stocks.” He smirked at his shameless compliment to himself.  
  
“Be my guest.  I’ll see what else we can find.  Hey, Sigma, see anything interesting?”  Phi turned around and walked back to the tables.  
  
“It looks like both of these need a password,” Sigma replied, frowning as he poked at the keyboard before him.  He looked up, panning the room.  “They’ve got hints, but they don’t make any sense.  The screen up there is the only thing with information on it, so more clues have gotta be hidden in there.”  He lifted his chin in a gesture at the front of the room. “So… stock columns, right?”  
  
“Yup,” Aoi replied shortly.  He reached up and selected two spots in different columns. The letters CRA and DLE lit up in green.  “Your password field’s six spaces, right?”  
  
“Uh, yeah,” Sigma said, looking back at the monitor.  “The hint is—”  
  
“Try 036803,” Aoi interrupted.  Phi looked at the numbers, bewildered as to how he’d come up with that combination.  The numbers next to the letters he’d selected were nowhere near the one he’d spoken.  He shot her a satisfied grin.  “Told ya I’m an expert.”  
  
Phi rolled her eyes at the arrogant comment and walked to the second lit up screen. “Let me know when you have anoth—”  
  
“765381.”  
  
“Damn, you’re fast,” Sigma said, nodding in appreciation.  “I’m in—you too, Phi?”  
  
“Yup, it worked.  Seems to be loadi—oh goddamnit.”  
  
“What?” Aoi and Sigma asked in unison.  
  
“Another puzzle popped up.  It’s one of those sliding games.”  She let out a sigh.  “I hate these…”  
  
“I do too, so you’re stuck with it unless Mr. Coveralls wants to try,” Aoi said, smirking.  Sigma sighed as his screen finished loading.  
  
“I got a puzzle, too.  Shouldn’t take very long, though, it’s the same type.  So before that, can I ask you something?”  His question was directed at Aoi.  The man shrugged, sitting heavily on one of the tables and leaning backwards onto one hand casually.  
  
“I’m done here, so whatever.  Shoot.”  
  
Sigma fumbled for words that wouldn’t seem insensitive, but saw Aoi rolling his eyes and decided he didn’t need to be tactful.  “You seem awfully calm about all this.”  
  
“What’s to worry about?” Aoi retorted, examining his fingernails.  “It’s pretty clear there’s not a real threat, at least not yet.”  
  
Sigma ground his teeth slightly before continuing.  “Well to start, we have no idea why we’ve been brought here, or by who.”  
  
 “ We’ll figure it out,” Aoi replied confidently.  “That is, if you stop dicking around and get the keycard to print.”

  
“I’m not done,” Sigma snapped, his patience fraying quickly.  He continued. “Your sister planned a previous game, and then the one me and Phi went through.  But you’re saying she’s only ‘ _mostly_ ' here. What's that supposed to mean?  Aren't you concerned about _that_ , at least?”  
  
Aoi was silent for a moment, then spun around and stood up, crossing his arms.  For a moment, Sigma thought he wasn’t going to answer him.  When the young man spoke, his voice had no trace of the slight mockery he had been addressing the two of them with before.  
  
“You ever loved anybody, Sigma?”  
  
The unexpected question startled him.  He glanced at Phi, who raised an eyebrow in an ‘I dunno’ expression.  “Well, yeah, I guess.  What are you getting at?”  
  
“So you know what it’s like to want to protect someone.”  
  
Sigma looked at Phi again, but turned away before she noticed.  “Yeah. I do.”  
  
Aoi turned around to face them.  His expression was completely stoic, but his voice had a trace of anger in it.    
  
“I want you to imagine this.  You can do _that_ , right?  Okay.  So you’re alone in the world with this person, the one you love the most.  You’re her only protector, and she depends on you for almost everything.”    
  
He took a deep breath before continuing.  “And then, this person, the person you love the most, that it’s your _only duty_ to protect, is killed in front of you. Burned alive.”  The corner of his mouth quivered a moment.  “You’ve held her fucking ashes while they’re still warm.”  
  
Sigma swallowed, hard.  It wasn’t a pleasant picture.  Phi held a hand to her mouth, a horrified but compassionate look on her face. Aoi continued.  
  
“And then, through some miracle, you get a second chance.  She’s not dead, somehow. You’re in a different timeline where that never happened, where it was just a bad dream, and it’s your job to prevent it from ever happening.  A time loop.  You still followin?”  
  
Sigma nodded.  
  
“Okay. So you’ve devoted your life to this, to protecting—resurrecting—the most important person in your life.  The only one who matters.”  He paused.  “And then, you fuck it up. And she’s killed again.”  
  
His eyes bore into Sigma’s, the icy blue color burning fiercely.  “You’re so fucked up over it, you just drift through life. You don’t even think about what you’re doing.  You’re on autopilot, not giving a shit about what happens to you or what you do to others, while your entire _soul_ is screaming in misery.  The only reason you don’t off yourself is because you know she would never forgive you.”  
  
Sigma had to look away, uncomfortable. The young man continued.  
  
“Now she shows up again, but she’s slightly different.  She doesn’t know about any of that pain you’ve seen her suffer, and she’s _happy_.  And you know it’s her—you just _know_ , because it’s like knowing that your arm’s attached to your body.”  His eyes narrowed.  
  
“So, _Sigma_ , do you complain and whine about it?  Do you even question how, or are you fucking grateful you’ve been given another shot—one you don’t even deserve?”  
  
“I… I don’t know,” Sigma admitted.  Aoi slammed his hand onto the table nearest him, the sound making Phi jump.  
  
“Damn fucking straight you don’t _fucking_ know. None of you do.”  He was breathing heavily, but slowly.  “So, _Sigma_ , don’t you _dare_ criticize me.  You can’t even imagine what I’ve been through.”  He turned away again, marching back to stand in front of the screen.  
  
Sigma frowned.  It wasn’t like his life had been a picnic, either.  He still had faint memories of seeing his companions—friends—dying in front of him, and just because he hadn’t been family, or in _love_ with any—  
  
Something made him glanced over to Phi.  She was waving to get his attention silently shaking her head.   _Don’t_ , she mouthed. _Just don’t_.  
  
He let out a sigh and turned back to the puzzle.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much love to everyone for all their support and comments and kudos. I hope you're still enjoying yourselves!


	20. Alice, Junpei, June

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Mathematical!"

With some hesitation, Alice followed June into the bathroom.    
  


At first glance it was an ordinary place, three metal stalls along the tiled walls to the left, three sinks to the right with mirrors over them, and a bench on the far wall.  Alice walked to the mirrors as June walked to the partitions.

 

“This is just like I remember it!” June said happily.  She pressed open one of the stall doors. “Yup, Western style toilets… Hmm, which one was it again…”  
  
Alice ignored the reminiscing girl.  The sooner she found the clue, the sooner she would not be alone with her.  
  
There was nothing on the mirrors, but something drew her to look more closely.  An idea sparked as she remembered the steamy showers she’d take back home.  She twisted the faucets to the hottest setting.  Soon, steam began to fog the mirrors.  She leaned over the sink, looking for any disturbance in the smooth surfaces, when…  
  
“ _Would you like red paper or blue?_ ” a croaking voice whispered in her ear.  
  
The teenage girl jumped what felt like ten feet in the air and spun around.  June was standing behind her, holding her arms out with her fingers ominously curled into claws.   
  
“Wh—-what the hell?” she cried, pressing one hand against her pounding heart.  While the interaction outside the bathroom had been uncanny and deeply disturbing, this was just bizarre.  
  
“Oh, sorry!  I didn’t mean to scare you that much!”  The brunette girl giggled, lowering her arms and holding them, palms out, in an apologetic motion.  “I guess you’re not familiar with that urban legend?”  
  
“What the heck are you talking about? Is this really the time to be fooling around?” Alice demanded.  June’s face dropped, and she shuffled her feet slightly.  
  
“So… sorry…”  she said softly.  “Oh, you found something on the mirrors. I guess I shouldn’t distract you then.”  
  
Alice turned back to the mirror, trying to ignore her twinge of guilt.  June sat down on the bench with her knees together and bit her lip, as if she were a child who had just been scolded.  
  
Alice sighed.  As uncannyas the other girl had been earlier, she honestly couldn’t imagine that June was a bad person, or even dangerous.  She hadn’t even seemed aware of the strange, stuttering moment several minutes ago. She couldn’t understand the other girl’s behavior, but maybe the young woman just lacked the maturity that Alice expected from adults.  After all, her mother had been fairly strict as well as protective, and she hadn’t had many friends.  Maybe she didn’t really understand how other people normally acted.  Maybe _she_ was the strange one.   
  
“So what’s the legend?” she asked, noticing that the mirrors were now fully fogged.  A left-facing arrow had appeared, and under it was an equation—math, her best subject.  She gave a slight grin as she began calculating in her head, half listening to June speak.  
  
“Oh! The _Akai-kami Aoi-kami_ is a ghost that appears in bathrooms like this!  You’ll be in the stall and if you run out of paper, you’ll hear her speak— ‘ _would you like red paper or blue paper?_ ” June sat up, and her eyes were shining as she spoke.  “And if you say red, she slits your throat and you bleed everywhere!  And if you say blue, then she chokes you to death.”  
  
Alice was momentarily distracted, despite herself. She glanced back at June, who stood up again and began swinging a stall door by tapping on it lightly. “Why would you answer at all then?”  
  
June blinked, pausing her motion.  “Well, you have to—I mean, it’d be rude, and you’re stuck there without paper anyways, you know?  But don’t be afraid, there’s a correct answer!”    
  
Alice raised her eyebrows, and June blushed slightly, giggling.  “It’s yellow, of course!”  
  
“Yell—oh. OH.  So she’s actually IN the toilet?” The black-haired girl found this slightly horrifying.  As if there wasn’t enough to worry about in life…  She refocused on the math as June continued.  
  
“Yup! But there are other ghosts that just stay around the toilets, not in them.  For example, Hanako-san lived in this stall, so no one ever used it.”  June swung the door again.  “She was the ghost of a girl who was bullied to death.  To speak to her, you’d knock on this door three times and ask ‘ _Hanako-san, are you there?_ '”  
  
Alice had finished her calculations, coming up with an even number ‘8.’ “Yeah, and then?”

 

“Then she’d say ‘ _I’m here!_ ' and drag you through the stall down to hell with her!  The only things remaining would be your blood, staining the walls.”  June was smiling as she turned back to her companion.

 

“You… said this was an _elementary_ school, right?”  Alice asked.  The other girl didn’t notice her cynically bewildered expression.    
  
“Yup! Why?”  
  
“Oh… no reason.  I have the hint, anyways.”  Alice turned off the sinks. “We can go meet up your boyfriend now.”  
  
“He’s n-n-not my boyfriend!” June stuttered, her entire face bright red.  “I mean, n-not that I don’t want him to be but—um— gosh, do you really think…”  
  
Alice rolled her eyes up to the ceiling as she pushed open the door to leave.  Of all the people to be stuck with, why the lovey-dovey almost-couple?  She couldn’t begin to comprehend how casually they were taking the situation, even allowing for the fact that she was far from an expert in human behavior.  Of course, they’d said they’d been in strange games like this before, but still… wasn’t thinking about love just a little too laid back?  

 

Junpei was waiting outside the classroom for them.  He waved as he saw them approaching.  “You find everything okay?” he asked.  Alice nodded.

  
“The mirrors had a left facing arrow, and an equation that led to a single digit—8.  You?”  
  
“I found a piano and a plate, which solves the final riddle,” Junpei said, holding out a plastic dish.  “The piano had a small puzzle to open it, but I figured it out.  It gave me a number 6, and a right pointing arrow.”  
  
“And the first number we found was 7, and a left facing arrow.  Hmm, may I see that?” Alice took the plate from Junpei.  The numbers 1-9 circled the edge, but there was a notch by the number 2.  
  
“So the numbers are 7, 8, 2, and 6, right?” June asked.  “But we don’t know what order they’re in—maybe by the way the riddles were written?  Let’s see, map, mirror, plate and piano, right?”  She pressed 7, 2, 8 and 6 on the keyboard. It beeped once, but the light remained red.  “Hmm, that’s not it…  Um, I guess I can keep trying them in different order—”  
  
“There are at least twenty-four combinations in four number sets,” Alice replied.  She sat down on the floor. “Two-hundred fifty-six if it allowed repeat numbers, but I’m fairly certain it doesn’t.  Let’s try to figure this out using the arrows as a hint first.”  
  
“You’re really good at math, aren’t you?” June said, sitting down next to Alice. “I saw the equation in the bathroom, it looked pretty difficult.”  
  
“To be fair, math was never your strongest subject, Kanny,” Junpei said, joining the girls on the floor.  His little finger grazed over the back of June’s hand as he glanced at her.  “I think that was the only subject I got better scores than you in.  But I’m nothing compared to Alice, here!”  
  
“I’m pretty good at math,” Alice replied, but her cheeks warmed a little at the compliment.  Somehow, she was always pleased when people noticed her intelligence.  It wasn’t just a natural talent, she’d studied hard to be able to do calculations quickly.  Her eyes moved around the edge of the plate, then she nodded.  “Okay, I think I’ve solved this.”    
  
Her companions were staring at her blankly.  She let out a sigh, but it lacked the annoyance it had held earlier.  She couldn’t help but feel she was warming up to the friendly pair, despite their slightly nauseating flirting.  “Let me explain.”  
  
She pointed to the plate. “See the notch by the two? I think that’s our starting point.  I’m going to assume that the left facing arrow means decreasing and right facing means increasing, but we can try it the other way if that doesn’t work.”  
  
She moved her fingers along the edge as she spoke.  “The map was the first answer, and it had the 7 with the left facing arrow, correct?  So if we count around seven spaces to the left—clockwise— of the two, we get 9.” She paused by the number.  
  
“The second answer was the plate, and the 2 is what’s marked on it, so we’ll assume there’s no mystery there. 8 had a left facing arrow, too, so that brings us around to 1.”  
  
“Oh, I get it!  Then the last number, from the piano, would be 5,” Junpei said, nodding as he counted.  Alice smiled.  
  
“You caught on, good.  So that gives us 9215 as our combination.  June, you want to try it?”  
  
“Yes!”  The brown-haired girl stood up again and entered the number, biting her lip in anticipation.  The machine beeped, and the light turned green. “We did it!”  
  
“Mathematical! Go team!”  Junpei pumped his fist in the air as Alice raised an eyebrow at the cheer.  A small grin was hovering at the side of her mouth. Their cheerfulness was a little contagious.  “Now let’s see what’s through this door.”  He pushed it open, and the two girls followed him into the next room.  
  
The enthusiasm of the previous moment was instantly quelled as they entered the classroom.  The trio was wordless as they examined the room, stunned by the scene before them.    
  
The classroom was dark, with dirty windows letting in little light.  It was laid out with five long columns of desks, ~~~~five seats in each row.  A teacher’s podium stood at the front with scattered papers falling off to the floor around it, and a whiteboard had messy writing smeared on it.  But the group’s eyes were all focused on the student’s desks.  
  
Behind each desk but one was a wooden mannequin, legs sprawled and limbs hanging limply to each side as if they had been dropped into the seats.  The desks in front of them each had an open book, with thick dust covering all surfaces.   
  
The empty desk was in the very back corner.  It had a vase of decaying flowers and what appeared to be a memorial portrait on top of it, but that wasn’t the most disturbing part.

  
Junpei swallowed, hard, and Alice found herself shivering again from a deep chill that had formed inside her.  June reached out and tentatively grasped the hem of Junpei’s shirt in a childlike gesture.  She was the first to speak, in a low, halting voice.  
  
“Jumpy…  _what happened to their faces?_ ”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for all your support! Sorry this took a bit longer than usual. I really need to up my pace!


	21. Luna, Clover, and Dio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Accident, my ass! What was in it? What are you hiding?”

"What the hell is taking her so damn long?”

Dio paced across the room for the fifth time.  He was tired of waiting, although it couldn’t have been more than twenty minutes since Clover had kicked him out of the neighboring room, and not more than ten since Luna had joined him.  

Luna gave a sympathetic, tired smile from the plush chair.  Clover had chosen another long dark purple skirt for her with a matching fitted vest on top, a light violet blouse, and a dark blue shawl the woman wore wrapped around herself. Her hair was loosely braided over a shoulder.  The bright auburn seemed to emphasize the dark circles under her eyes. 

She looked exhausted. He wondered if she’d slept at all while he had been knocked out.  He doubted it.   


“I’m not sure what exactly Clover is doing to open the safe, but I’m certain it will take some time,” she said, catching his eye as he glanced at her. “I’m sure it’ll be open any time now.”    


She sounded more like she was trying to soothe a petulant child than expressing what she truly believed.  It irritated him a little.  Luna seemed so intent on keeping the peace between the two of them, regardless of her own feelings.  Based on how tired she seemed to be, he was willing to bet she was actually nearly as irritated as he was.    


He had to admit he understood, though.  He had learned to suppress his own emotions—silly, pointless things that they were, anyways– alongside the rest of the Free the Soul members. Only when he rebelled had he been able to express himself freely.  


The nagging guilt tugged at him again. That had been part of the reason he’d made that mistake– _sinned—_ and  why he was in this situation in the first place. He shouldn’t enjoy it so much, this freedom to act like an individual.  He wasn’t a solo being. He was _Left_ , one of many.  He shouldn’t be thinking of anything other than Free the Soul’s goals.  


But the more time he sat here, unsure of his orders, the more he was thinking of almost anything _but_ Free the Soul.  He wished he could blame the Soporil, or the headaches—but he knew there wasn’t any form of brainwashing or outside influence he could blame.  It was his own flaw.  His sin.  


Dio let out an irritated sigh, realizing the room had been quiet for a rather long time.  “It’s been long enough.  I think she’s full of shit.  She probably has no idea what she’s doing, if she’s doing anything at all.  She could just be playing dress-up for all we know.”  

The blond man slapped his hand against the wall separating them from the closet Clover was in.  “Hey, hurry up already, will you?”

A loud slam against the wall made it vibrate slightly as Clover’s muffled voice responded.  “Will you SHUT UP? This isn’t easy!  I’m going to have to start over if you don’t quit stomping around!”   


“Goddamnit… “  Dio flung himself on the bed.  He rolled his eyes up to look at Luna.  “You sure we can’t just head on out without her?”  


Luna’s eyes were closed.  Her head had drifted to the side, and her chin was resting in her braid.  She seemed to be slowly sliding down the chair.

“Hey, Luna?” he called again, sitting up slightly.  She was gonna fall and have an unpleasant awakening.  “Luna?”

She jolted into alertness, her eyes wide—not just startled, but… _frightened_?  He couldn’t read the expression.  She focused on him and quickly put on her soft smile, the previous emotion vanishing.  “Oh!  I’m sorry, what was it you just asked me?” she said, trying to sound pleasant.    


His frown deepened into a scowl.  Why was she being so _fake_ ?  He knew that she lied—every one of those fuckers did—but this was getting bizarre.   


“If you’re so tired, why don’t you just take a nap?” he asked with a slightly accusatory tone.  “I mean, it seems like we’re gonna be here  for a while anyways, since you didn’t want to leave without her.”  


Luna’s face turned red, and she waved her hands frantically.  


“Oh—oh no, I couldn’t possibly!  You see I’m… I’m _really_ hard to wake up once I fall asleep, so I just need to stay alert!  I’ll be fine!”  She stood up quickly, and swayed before catching herself on the chair.  


Dio was surprised that he had instinctively twitched—he had begun to move to catch her.  He forced himself to relax and sit up slowly.  This situation was really becoming a problem—a bad one. He needed orders.  He needed a focus—he needed anything to eliminate these distractions.   


“That’s it—I’m checking on her,” he said, pushing himself off the bed forcefully and jamming his hat back on his head.  


“Well, she said she needed privacy–” Luna began, but paused.  She seemed eager to get moving as well—he supposed she may have been telling a partial truth about falling asleep.  “I suppose we could knock again…”  


He ignored the suggestion, throwing open the door and marching into the other room.  The closet door was shut, but he flung it open without preamble.  “Hey, what’s the hold up?”  


Clover turned halfway around, her eyes wide.  She had changed into a loose pink tank top with stylish folds hanging over her chest, short black shorts, black thigh highs, pink heels, and several bracelets hanging next to her symboled one.  Her hair was pulled up in a single high ponytail.  She was kneeling by the safe, which was partially opened.   


Before he could take another step, she flung the metal door shut. The CLANG echoed throughout the small room.  He heard the lock spin and click back into place.  


“What the fuck? How long have you had that thing open?  Why didn’t you call us?” Dio demanded, stepping forward.  Clover stumbled to her feet, her expression still panicked.  She managed a small, fake smile.

“Y-you startled me!” she said, trying to sound accusing. It came out as almost a squeak.  “You made me shut it by accident!”  


“Accident, my ass!  What was in it? What are you hiding?”  He took another step forward, scowling.  He was taller than her—especially with his hat—and hoped that he was intimidating her.  


“I’m not hiding anything!  There wasn’t anything in it for you, anyways!”  Clover insisted, glaring right back.  “There’s a tablet here for Luna, but that’s it.  It just took me a long time to open it because you kept stomping around!”  


“You little fucking liar–” he began, but was interrupted by Luna clearing her throat.  She was frowning heavily.  


“We mustn’t  fight ,” she said, her voice sounding stronger than it had been since her argument  with Sigma. She stepped forward with a determined motion. “Dio, I’m sure you just startled her.  There was only one tablet in the safe, Clover?”  


“Yup!” Clover said, darting around Dio. She seemed drastically relieved to see the other woman. She handed a small grey machine to Luna. “Here you go. I don’t know what it is. I touched the screen, but it said ‘Luna’ so I decided not to snoop.”  

She leaned down, picking up a black tote bag. “I picked out some clothes for Alice, too.  She’s probably freezing in that silly outfit.  I’d pick some out for Lotus, too, but I’m not really sure about her sizes… or fashion sense, and I wouldn’t wanna offend her!  Anyways, we can go now!”  She smiled, hoping on one leg in the doorway.

There was something different about her cheerfulness now—it was obviously forced.  She was hiding something, and he _knew_ it had to do with him.  She had looked terrified  at the sight of him. Dio wasn’t about to let the matter drop.  


“That was _really_ all that was in the safe?” he demanded again.  She kept the fake smile plastered on her face.  


“Yeah, sorry, but like I said there wasn’t anything else interesting in it besides this!”  Clover stammered slightly as she spoke.  “Will you stop being such a weirdo?  The door’s open so obviously it isn’t important anyways.  C'mon, we have to meet everybody pretty soon, right?  Do you wanna get out of here or what?”

He ignored her questions, zeroing in on her first sentence.  He crossed his arms and glared at the girl.  “You said there wasn’t _anything_ else in it a second ago.  Now there just wasn’t anything else  _interesting_ ?”  


“Yeah– _nothing_ isn’t interesting, right?”  She stomped her foot, a petulant expression appearing.  “C'mon, let’s head on to the next room!”  She hurried out the open door.    


She was lying—she was so _obviously_ lying!  Beyond that, he’d noticed something more.  She was shaking slightly.  Whatever she was hiding, it was big. He took a step to follow her but stopped as Luna let out a soft gasp.

Her hands were clasped around the tablet, the glowing screen displaying something he couldn’t quite see.  Her eyes had filled with tears again.  She reached up one hand to her mouth, then lowered it sadly.

“What is it?” he asked, cautiously.  Maybe he’d been slightly wrong—maybe whatever had scared Clover was on that tablet. He didn’t think he’d need to threaten Luna to get answers, and he didn’t want her to start crying again.  “Something on that tablet?”  


Luna shook her head and dropped the tablet into her skirt pocket, turning the power off.  “It’s … nothing.”  Her eyes flicked to the side.  “I mean—I’d rather not talk about it.  Clover’s right, it _is_ personal.”  


He let out a frustrated sigh, and Luna’s eyes flicked up to his.  


“Please trust me Dio—it has nothing to do with you, not even a little bit.  I promise.”   Her gaze was unwavering.  


He searched her face for a sign that she was lying.  He couldn’t find any.  Just her sad, sweet blue eyes, in a sad, tired face.  Dio knew, without any doubt, she wasn’t lying about this.  She was hiding a lot of things—so was he—but unlike him, she wasn’t usually lying about everything.  She could be completely honest, be herself sometimes.  It was one of those moments.  


He turned away, shrugging and rolling his eyes dramatically to shake the moment.  If she knew that she had convinced him and that he _did_ trust her, at least in this moment, she’d be able to imitate it and trick him later.  That was how good liars worked–they duplicated the way they acted when they were telling the truth.  


“Sure, whatever you say,” he said.  “Let’s go check out the next rooms.”  He walked through the doorway without waiting for her response.

As the Myrmidon turned down the corridor, his eyes narrowed again.  He might trust Luna—at least in this instant—but he knew Clover was hiding something.  Whatever it was, it had scared her to the core. He casually reached down, pretending to adjust something, and confirmed that the knife was still in his boot.  As soon as he could separate her from Luna, he and Clover were going to have a nice little chat. And by the end of it, she’d be singing her heart out to him…

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gosh sorry for the long break between chapters! I had a bit of trouble with anxiety while writing for a while, then got slammed with writer's block. I'm hoping to pick up the pace--I feel like I promise that every time, haha! Thanks as always to drkurashiki for the beta, and all of you who have left me comments and kudos! It means a lot that you're enjoying this. :D


	22. Lotus, Light, Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m guessing that’s some Esper stuff, huh?”

“Well, here’s what we’ve come up with in our search.”  
  
The Air team was sitting at a round table in the center of the second cabin’s parlor.  Lotus spread six items out before them—three keycards, and three wooden and metal objects.  “Am I missing anything?”

Light shook his head, running his hands over the wooden curiosities.  “I don’t believe so.  What strange items… puzzles of some sort?”  
  
“Yeah, I’ve seen this one before,” Seven said, picking up one of them.  It appeared to be two horseshoes with small chains connecting their ends together, and a round, solid metal ring with a small nub pointing outwards from it around the links.  “You try to get the loop off somehow.”  He frowned as he twisted it around. “Can’t really remember how it’s done…”  
  
“This is a mystery box, if I’m not wrong?” Light said, rolling the box he’d picked up around in his palm.  “You slide these pieces in certain ways until it opens.”  
  
“And then this last one is fairly simple, it’s a three-dimensional puzzle, but it’s already put together.”  Lotus shook it.  “It sounds like there’s something in the middle, so we’ll have to figure out how to take it apart.  My guess is we’ll combine the objects inside these two with that ring to form the key to the door, since there aren’t any other objects we’ve found.”  
  
“I’d place my bet on that, too,” Seven said, clanking the horseshoe puzzle as he twisted it again.  “I know there’s a trick to this, though it seems pretty impossible at first.” He grabbed the horseshoes in each hand, and his muscles strained as he pulled.  Lotus smacked him.  
  
“Don’t break it! If it had been that easy, it wouldn’t have been set up like this,” she scolded.  Seven shrugged.  
  
“Well, Junpei and Aoi were talking about how they broke the door down to escape, so I thought maybe it was worth a try,” he replied.  Lotus rolled her eyes.  
  
“Dear, as strong as you are, I doubt you can break this kind of metal,” she replied, picking up the keycards and examining them.  “It had to be a fluke that those two were able to get out so easily.  Why would anyone create a game that could be easily beaten by cheating?”  
  
Light made a small ‘ah’ noise, interrupting the two.  He picked up a metal piece from the remains of the wooden puzzle and displayed it to them.  
  
“Our theory is correct.  This seems to be the end of the key.”  He sat it on the table as Seven gave up on the horseshoe and picked up the mystery box.  “What do the cards look like?”  
  
“Well, they have the design of tarot cards. They’re all from the Major Arcana.” She tapped her index finger against her lips lightly as she examined them again, then held up the first one.  “This one is the Star, which represents creativity. It’s the seventeenth trump card, and also associated with my bracelet symbol, Aquarius. The picture is of a woman pouring water under a starry sky.”  She placed it on the table. 

Seven picked it up, flexing it gently.  “And it’s definitely got some kind of chip in it, so it’s safe to say it’s a keycard or something like that.”  
  
“What’s the next one?” Light asked, taking the card from Seven and running his hand over it, then setting it on the table.

Lotus held up the next card.  “Strength.  The image is a lion with its jaws held open by a young woman.  It’s relatively self-explanatory , although it’s more akin to inner strength than wrestling lions. It’s the eighth card in the Major Arcana. Its corresponding Zodiac sign is Leo, which is also represented by a lion.”  

The black-haired woman flipped the last card onto the table.  “And the final one is The Emperor, whose picture is a man sitting on a throne.  Its corresponding sign is Aries.  As the fourth trump card, it represents maturity, responsibility, wisdom—all things one would associate with a reliable older man.”  
  
“Like me, right?” Seven said with a grin.    
  
Lotus rolled her eyes, but playfully.  “Maybe on your  _good_ days. Now…”

She spread the cards out.  “Now, each of the cards has at least two possible meanings—one for whether it is placed upright, or inverted. It’s all relative to how the reader lays the cards out.  The most common spread is the Celtic Cross, which requires seven more cards than we have here.”  She let out a huff, pursing her lips to the side.  “Unfortunately, I can’t really tell much from this grouping without the context of a layout.”  
  
“Creativity, maturity, and strength; Leo, Aries, and Aquarius,” Light said, placing his hand on his chin thoughtfully.  “I believe that the Leo bracelet was Sigma, correct?  And the Aries was Aoi.”  
  
“They both were Fire signs, and went through the Fire door.  So it’s safe to assume that the Emperor and Strength are also linked to fire?” Seven asked.  “And we’re all air, which means that the Star is also linked to that, right?”

“Yes, something like that,” Lotus said, holding her chin and staring down at the cards.  She looked up.  “My guess would be that each group will find cards, and when we meet back up we may be able to find clues to their placement.”

She let out a sigh, gathering up the cards and placing them in her skirt pocket. “Unfortunately… I don’t think that’s going to help explain why we’re here, or who put us here, until then.  So we might as well focus on trying to get out of this room.”  
  
“Fair enough,” Seven said, picking up the horseshoe puzzle again.  “There’s just this one left, right?  Light, you wanna try–”  
  
“Ah, please excuse me,” Light said, holding up a hand to silence the other man. He tilted his head to the side, as if he were listening to something far away.  He then nodded, and turned back to the couple.  “I will need a moment alone, if that is all right?  I’ll excuse myself to the hallway.”  
  
Lotus tilted her head, then shrugged.  “I’m sure you’ll explain yourself later.” She began examining her fingernails. Light nodded, and bowed out.  
  
“I’m guessing that’s some Esper stuff, huh?” Seven asked as he twisted the puzzle.  His wife raised an eyebrow.  
  
“What makes you say that?”  
  
“I’ve seen the girls do that, sometimes.  Usually when one of them’s about to get a phone call from the other.  They stop and pick up their phone, and after it’s in their hand it rings.”  He laughed.  “Sometimes they don’t even wait for it to ring before answering.”

Lotus gave a wry smile.  “Yes, they’ve done things like that since they were infants.  I had always put it off to the natural language of twins, until Cradle happened.”

Seven’s face grew serious.  He set the puzzle down. “You don’t think they’re the ones behind this, do you?  If they found out we–”

“SHHHH!”  Lotus’ eyes lit up as she furiously shushed her husband.  She looked around the room nervously. “You know better than to talk about it.  We don’t know if they’re listening in.”  
  
Seven froze, his face suddenly contorting in confusion.   “W… yeah….   We… shouldn’t be talking….“  
  
“What is it?” His wife picked up on his discomfort immediately.  He ran his hand over his face.  
  
“I… did talk about it.  Just a while ago, to Light.”  His face was becoming more alarmed.  “I told him almost everything we were up to.”  The large man looked completely baffled.  “Why… why did I do that?”  
  
“What?”  Lotus’ attempted whisper was nearly a shriek.  “Why?  How could you know there weren’t bugs in the hallway?”  
  
“I didn’t,” he replied, shock replacing the confusion on his face.  “I just… talked like it was a normal thing.”    
  
Lotus slumped back, staring at him in stunned amazement for a moment.  
  
Finally she spoke, her voice a hoarse whisper.  “That… that could kill us all.  You, me, and the girls.  How could you be so STUPID?”  
  
“I don’t know!” Seven snapped back.  He held his head in his hands.  “Why would I… I’m smarter than that.  You know I am!”  
  
Lotus’ anger switched to concern.  “Could you have been drugged?”  She slapped her forehead.  “We fell asleep around people we don’t _even know_.  How could we have let our guard down like that? How could we have been so stupid?”

“I don’t even know how we felt relaxed enough to sleep,” Seven said slowly.  “We didn’t know that Luna woman from beans, and that Aoi guy’s story is fishy as hell.  We don’t even know… it sounds crazy, but we don’t even know for sure that Junpei is actually our Junpei, or that Light is Light.”

Lotus stiffened, sitting fully upright slowly.  “And I don’t know that you are really you, nor do you know that I am myself.”

The couple stared at each other, searching each other’s faces for clues or confirmation.  The room was silent for a while.

Unexpectedly, Seven leaned back and laughed, relaxing.  
  
“I don’t think there’s a person in the entire universe that could imitate my wife.”  He shook his head.  “I’d know you anywhere, no matter what. You don’t feel the same way?”  He raised an eyebrow, a flirty smile on his face.  Lotus flushed.  
  
“I… well I can’t be certain,” she said, wrapping her arms around herself.  “I mean, I’d find it hard to believe anyone could really imitate your idiocy, but…”  
  
“Well, let me prove it.”  Her husband leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper.  “You want me to describe exactly what we were doing last night, before we got taken?”  
  
“That’s… that’s _inappropriate_!”  
  
“But you know I examined the hotel room for bugs, right? You saw me do it. So we can pretty much guarantee no one was watching us, right?  No one should know what _exactly_ we were up to.”  He seemed to be relishing a bit in her discomfort.  “You didn’t have any doubts as to who I was then, right?”  
  
Lotus glanced over her shoulder, flushed to the tips of her ears from the teasing.  “He… he can probably still hear us, you know,” she protested again, sounding slightly coy now.  “He obviously has enhanced senses…”  
  
She glanced back to Seven, who merely grinned.  She looked back to the door, then leaned over the table.  “You can _whisper_.”  
  
Seven draped himself over to reach her, and softly said something into her ear.  Lotus’ face turned even more alarmingly red, and she looked away, almost shyly.    
  
“W—well, it’s not like cameras would have been able to pick THAT up,” she said, leaning back and giving a slight cough.  “So I, um. I suppose that’s acceptable proof.”  
  
Her husband sat back and nodded.  “If you still have any doubts, I wouldn’t mind doing _that_ agai–”  
  
A tiny wooden puzzle piece whacked him in the shoulder.  “S-stop that!”

A soft knock came, and Light reentered the room.

“Please pardon the interruption,” he said, sitting down gracefully.  “My sister needed to consult me on something.”  
  
“Can you actually talk between yourselves, using just your heads?” Seven asked.  The young man nodded.  
  
“Our skills have improved after the last game,” he said.  “I believe that the presence of a powerful Esper like Akane, and the events she manipulated, somehow broke down many of the barriers holding us back.”  
  
“That girl… do you think it’s really her?  Akane, I mean.” Lotus asked, picking up the horseshoe puzzle and twisting it.  She frowned, setting it back down.  “I’m not sure I buy it.”  

She flicked her eyes up at Light, a slight tension appearing between her eyes.  “And we can’t be positive of each other, either.”  
  
“I feel confident that you are indeed my companions Seven and Lotus,” Light replied calmly.  “You have a very familiar aura that I would find unmistakable.”  He reached out his hand to the puzzle.  “May I?”  
  
Lotus handed him the item, and he began to run his fingers over it, caressing each part carefully.  

“But what about Akane?  And everyone else?”  Seven asked, leaning onto his elbow.  “You think they’re who they say they are?  No impostors?”

Light’s forehead wrinkled in thought as his fingers worked over the chain links.  “I had some doubts about Aoi, but… no longer.  I do not know Alice, Luna, Sigma, Phi or Dio, but that also means I have no particular knowledge to judge as to whether they are representing themselves honestly or not.  The man Dio in particular seems known to the others to be a liar, as Sigma kept calling him a different name, Left.  As for Akane…”

He shook his head.  “If it is her, the bond between herself and Aoi—and perhaps her ties to the morphogenic fields in general—has been severed.  But she does feel very familiar, despite that.”  He gave the puzzle a twist, then looped the horseshoe around.  The ring fell off onto the counter, leaving the chains intact.  

Seven picked up the ring and stared at it in bewilderment as Light continued.  “Aoi’s explanation–that some of us are from different timelines—seems almost ludicrous, but it also makes sense.  That is, if you are able to overlook the impossibility of such a statement.”

Lotus let out a huff.  “This entire situation is so bizarre, I feel like we could be in a very realistic simulation, or a dream.  But I also don’t believe that’s possible with the technology or drugs we currently have available. ” She tapped a fingernail on the table in slight irritation.  “We are definitely being manipulated, though.  Some of our actions don’t seem to make sense. “ She pinched between her eyes, rubbing the area.  “When I think on it too hard, my head begins to hurt.”  
  
Seven placed his hand over hers as it rested on the table.  “Just relax, Hazuki.  I’m with you, and I promise I’m going to get you out of this, you know? Let’s focus on what’s ahead of us.”  
  
“And I believe we can move forward,” Light said, holding his hand out to Seven.  He handed him the ring, and Light clicked together the metal pieces each puzzle had yielded.  A key formed.  “Shall we be off to the next room, then?”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always thanks to my amazing beta drkurashiki! Hehe, I hope this chapter doesn't sound like me writing myself out of a plot hole--I promise everything is planned. :3 4infinity's reveal is tomorrow, so we'll see if that (No matter which way it goes) motivates me to write faster! Thanks again for every kudos and comment, it makes me so happy!


	23. Phi, Aoi, Sigma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You sure you lived through a Nonary Game, and not a nursery game?"

“This really is a pain in the ass.”  Sigma leaned away from the computer screen, balancing on the back two feet of his chair and letting out a low grumble.  “Who the hell thinks an annoying puzzle like this is necessary?”  
  
Phi let out a snort from her spot across the room.  “I can’t imagine  _anyone_  who would put a bunch of ‘annoying puzzles’ together to escape a room,  _Sigma_.”  There was a click, then a happy-sounding beep as she hit a button on the keyboard.  “I’m done.  Looks like the keycard is going to print now.“  
  
“It’d be nice if Coveralls here could finish up too,” Aoi said with an exaggerated yawn, sauntering over to the printer.  “Just because we haven’t been given a time limit doesn’t mean that we can just dick around forever.”  He paused a moment with an annoyed half-frown. “If the keycard’s printing, is his puzzle even necessary?”  
  
Phi stretched as she stood up.  “Hmm… I don’t think Zero would put in a puzzle that wasn’t somehow relevant, even if it was just for extra information to help us figure out his purpose.”  
  
“But we also don’t know that a Zero is even behind this,” Aoi retorted.  “I mean,  _I_ wouldn’t have done anything dumb like that, but it could still be a decoy to waste our time.”  He pulled the small piece of plastic out of the printer and examined it briefly before flipping it around his fingers in a lazy synchronization.  “Why bother?”  
  
“You said it yourself, we don’t have a time limit,” Phi responded, not acknowledging his baiting tone. “Other than meeting the others, that is.  It can’t have been more than an hour since we last saw them, so we have a few left. Anything special about the keycard?”  
  
Aoi raised his shoulders.  “Whatever, I just don’t feel like sitting around while Sir Fashion over there gets stumped by a kid’s game.”  He held up the keycard, then tossed it to her. 

She caught it between both hands.  “Looks like a tarot card.  The Empress?”  
  
“Pretty weird,” Aoi replied.  “My sister knows more about all that kinda shit than me, so we can ask her later.”  He glanced over at Sigma and rolled his eyes.  “That is, if that guy ever finishes messing around…”  
  
“Look, I’m working on it!” Sigma retorted, dropping the chair back and glaring at the screen.  The small ball in the top corner, surrounded by various colored rectangles, seemed to be mocking him.  He tried to tune out Phi and Aoi’s conversation to focus on the puzzle.  
  
It really was frustrating.  He had been sliding those shapes back and forth, up and down, and almost— _so close_ —only for an ERROR message and the game to restart every time he thought he’d solved it. Annoying.   _Really_  annoying.  

Although, he really shouldn’t complain that much, he admitted silently, being as that he himself would program a lot of ‘annoying puzzles’ like this in the future.

He let his mind wander to that subject for a moment, the one that lingered in the back of his mind like an unpleasant shadow in a dim room.  The disconnect between himself and Dr. Klim seemed impossible.  When did he become that man?  A man who wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice people he cared about—his own  _son_ —for the “greater good”?  A man that Luna said would never be violent towards another, yet clearly had no problems killing so many in multiple timelines?   
  
How did  _he_  become  _that_?  
  
He had been your average college student—one who was pretty serious about it, and hardworking, but nowhere near the Doctor’s levels of intelligence. Dr. Klim was practically the ultimate genius, who accurately predicted human actions—even over multiple timelines—and invented or perfected many things in very different fields–cloning, robotics, artificial flesh….  And… Luna.  
  
Sigma’s eyes flicked away from the screen.  She told him that he wasn’t the Doctor she knew, but he knew would be someday. The GAULEM’s sweet smile flitted through his thoughts.  How could  _he_ create someone like her?  It wasn’t just the HOW, but WHY?  Creating a beautiful, kind,  _aware_ consciousness that could only serve him… it was so unthinkingly selfish, without any regard for what that consciousness would think or desire for itself.  It was almost as cold as using his own son—well, _clone_ , but still a thinking, feeling individual–-as some kind of cog in his plans.  
  
The young man felt a twinge of hatred for the Doctor, suddenly, as his thoughts went to an even darker place.  Did he  _program_  Luna to love him, to be so sweet and forgiving of his horrific actions?  Did she only start to break of that mind control when they left the Rhizome?  Did he design her to not mind when he used her, forced her to lie, to break the Laws of Robotics that he’d purposefully instilled in her?  And then shut her down—murdered her–when he had no further use for her?    
  
His stomach turned. Why would he do something like that?  How could he possibly be so fucking selfish?   _How could he become that monster_?  
  
Sigma slammed his hand down on the keyboard suddenly, causing the screen to light up with an error message again. His mood had soured, and he felt a slight headache coming on.  
  
“I don’t have the patience for this shit anymore. If the keycard to get out’s printed, let’s go.”  
  
Aoi and Phi both looked up at him, wide-eyed.  Aoi recovered quickly, shrugging and heading for the door with the card in his hand. Phi, however, began to walk towards Sigma, a wary expression on her face.  
  
“Sigma, do you want me to try–” she began.  The black-haired man knocked over his chair as he stood up abruptly.  
  
“Forget it!” he snapped, the volume of his own voice causing his head to throb.  “Unless you think you’re so much  _smarter_  than me?  C'mon. You wanted to go, let’s fucking go!”  
  
Phi stepped slightly backwards at the outburst, confusion and alarm replacing the worry on her face.  Aoi merely raised his eyebrows as he turned towards the door, keycard in hand. “Well okay then, Mr. Temper-tantrum.”  
  
“You got a problem?”  Sigma could feel his forehead twitching as blood pulsed through his temples. He felt hot.   
  
Aoi laughed in response, completely unimpressed by Sigma’s anger.  “No, but it’s pretty obvious you do. You seriously let a stupid puzzle get the better of you?  You sure you lived through a Nonary Game, and not a _nursery_ game?”

Sigma’s hands clenched into fists.  His head was pounding. He’d had it with Aoi’s attitude.  He was about the same size, weight, but if he took him by surprise, as he opened the door, it would be easy.  He could slam his fist into the back of his head, right at the nape of that white hair, and Aoi would be out cold. And then he wouldn’t be talking shit, no, he’d–  
  
His thoughts stopped as a soft touch jabbed into his arm.  He blinked, confused.  
  
Phi had poked him, and was staring up at him with a serious, analytic face.  She also didn’t seem to be scared by his anger, nor even worried anymore.  He recognized her expression as one she wore when she was on the verge of an epiphany.  
  
He pulled his arm back, feeling suddenly unsure of himself.  “What?  You gonna get shitty with me too?” he managed.  Phi ignored the question, giving out one of her own.  
  
“Sigma, how do you feel right now?” It sounded absurd.  Was she practicing psychology on him? _Now_?  
  
“I’m pissed, obviously.  Can’t you tell?”  
  
“Yes, but WHY?” Phi stepped closer, staring at his face as though she was reading something written on it.  He felt the pain in his head slowly subsiding.  
  
“Because–” He faltered, his eyes drifting away from hers, then stopped.   _Why?_  
  
It was the puzzle, right?  Or had it been his thoughts on Dr. Klim?  Sure, they’d been upsetting, but… had he really considered hurting Aoi just because of that?  He couldn’t blame  _that_  fantasy on Dr. Klim—despite his manipulative behavior, punching people hadn’t seemed to be his style. Luna had even stated specifically that he was not a violent man.  That’s why she was so upset with him. He needed to apologize, he remembered.  Guilt was quickly replacing his anger.  
  
“I… dunno,” he finally admitted.  “I was really mad, but then… “

Phi shook her head.  “Answer the first question again.  What are you  _really_ feeling right now?”

The pain was almost entirely gone. Somehow, Phi’s voice was getting through—clearing through his head as if she was hitting the cobwebs out with a broom.  But he couldn’t quite make sense of her questions, or why she was asking them.

She poked his arm again.  “ _Think_ , Sigma.”  
  
He closed his eyes and let out a breath.  He was angry about the situation, but before, he’d felt determined to get through it—not helpless with rage.  Sure, he’d punched Dio, but he’d stick with that decision—the prick deserved it, even if it had upset Luna.  Aoi was an asshole, but after Dio, he wasn’t really that hard to handle—he also didn’t seem to have any motives to want to kill any of them.    
  
The puzzle wasn’t even that big of an issue—he could have simply asked Phi for help.  Aoi may have made some jab, but who cared?  Phi was his reliable, irreplaceable partner.  There was no shame in admitting that she could do things he couldn't—in fact, he’d relied upon her abilities multiple times to save his life.  
  
So   where,   _exactly_ , had this hot fury come from?

Sigma’s shoulders dropped.  “I… feel fine now.  Mostly confused.”  He slumped down to sit on one of the tables as he let out another deep breath.  He rubbed his temples.  “I had a hell of a headache for a minute there, though.”

Phi nodded, crossing her arms.  She raised an eyebrow as she looked at him.  “Does that  _remind_  you of anything?”  
  
The solution to the hints she’d been giving finally dawned on Sigma. 

Yesterday, in the elevator, Phi had been swearing, snapping—and her head had been hurting the whole time.  His face fell.  “Yeah… this is what happened to you, isn’t it?”  
  
“What are you talking about?”  Aoi asked, finally interrupting them.  “You telling me he’s gonna puke too?”  His words were harsh, but his expression was concerned as he approached them.    
  
Phi ignored him, still speaking directly to Sigma.  “It’s kind of like… you felt angry about something fairly reasonable, and then suddenly, your head began to hurt and  _everything_ was making you furious?”  
  
“Yeah… exactly like that.  Only I recovered a lot easier than you did.”  Sigma shook his head and ran his hand through his hair.  He felt completely back to his normal self. “What’s your theory?”  
  
Phi had placed one hand under her chin, her elbow resting on the arm under it.  “I’m not sure, but I think our emotions are being manipulated somehow.”  
  
“You think you’ve been drugged or something?”  Aoi had crossed his arms and was tapping the keycard against his bicep. “You haven’t eaten or drank anything in the past few hours that I’ve seen.  Can’t be any kind of gas, I feel fine and she’s acting normal now.”  
  
Phi shook her head.  “I’m not sure.  Sigma, how’s your head now?”  
  
“It’s fine.”  His eyebrows lowered.  “If it’s related to yours, how did it go away so fast?”  
  
She looked to the side, tapping her chin again.  “I’m not sure, but I think I’m developing a theory.”  
  
“It got anything to do with why we’re here?”  Aoi paused, then continued, hesitantly.  “Or… my sister’s current problem?”  He bit his lower lip, then looked away, rubbing his arms.  
  
Sigma could see clearly now that the young man had been hiding his vulnerability and fear under a layer of sarcasm and disdain.  How could he have been so angry at him for that? They had been in similar situations, and were now in the same one, together. They needed to be a team.  
  
Phi turned to Aoi and shook her head again.  “I need a little more information before I can say anything for certain.  But I do have a question for you.”  She paused, her eyes narrowing. “You’re an Esper, right?”  
  
Aoi’s forehead furrowed, and his face took on a dangerous expression.  “I was, yeah. So?”  
  
“Sigma and I can also be classified as that, I believe.  We have the ability to jump timelines.  And your sister can too, right?  That’s why you set up your Nonary Game.”  
  
Aoi nodded cautiously. “Yeah, but I don’t know why she’d set up the one you went through.  She... well, apparently she accomplished what she needed to in at least one timeline.  What was the point of yours, anyways?”  
  
 “Sorry, but I really can’t tell you that,” Phi replied.  Sigma expected Aoi to fight, but he only let out a sigh.  She continued.  “Anyways, how many people do you know here that are Espers?”  
  
“Akane and I… we were, previously. Junpei, obviously—if you know what happened in the first game, you’d know that.  Clover and Light are pretty strong, they were kidnapped with us as kids because of it.”  He looked at the floor, giving it a slight kick. “Lotus and Seven aren’t, though they have some ability. Lotus’ daughters were the ones that went through the very first game with us."  His eyes seemed dark with memories. He looked back up at Phi.  “So what are you implying?”  
  
“Sigma, what about our group?” she asked, ignoring the question.  Sigma counted in his head.  
  
“Me, you, Clover, Tenmyouji—well, I guess I can call him Junpei now. Dio and Alice aren’t as far as I know, although this isn’t the Alice I remember.  She’s younger, and not as… uh, she’s younger.” He paused.  “And Luna–Luna physically  _can’t_  be.”  
  
“Why not?” Aoi interrupted.  “She has that compassionate thing going on, same as a lot of the ones I’ve met.  It’s not like I can sense auras or anything like that, but I’d be pretty surprised if she didn’t have at least  _some_  ability.”  
  
“Luna’s…” Sigma hesitated, looking at Phi.  Phi shook her head.  
  
“She can’t be, let’s just leave it at that for now, okay?”    
  
Again, Aoi didn’t pick a fight.  Sigma was impressed at his patience–or maybe he somehow trusted Phi.  He glanced between the two.  They actually kind of looked alike, strangely–pale with white hair and blue eyes.  
  
Phi continued.  “So we have five people who don’t have an Esper ability, two who at least used to, and five who do.”

She was quiet for a moment as she thought, then let out a sigh.  “Look, I’m not done figuring this out. A few things don’t make sense…  well, a LOT of it doesn’t.  Can we table the discussion for now?  I want to have a clear hypothesis before I say anything.  It’s not going to do us any good if we all end up more confused together because I’m throwing out half-baked theories.“

“Let’s move on then,” Sigma suggested, standing up fully and stretching. “After all, we’re likely to find more answers the further we go, just like the other games.”  He paused, looking at the computer screen, then smacked his head to his forehead.  

“Hang on a minute,” he said, clicking the mouse a few times.  A green “SUCCESS” message played across the screen, and he grinned.  “I got it!  Looks like… a single file folder.”  

“Yeah?” Aoi said, joining him at the computer.

“Hold on… It’s a folder within a folder… It says…”  Sigma’s smile faded as he read the caption.  

 

**MARS MISSION PLANS.**

 

“So what’s in the second folder?” Aoi asked, leaning in.  His previous disinterest had completely vanished. “Click it already!”

Sigma’s hand was frozen.  Should… should he open it?  His thoughts were racing.   _Schrodinger’s cat…   Use the future to change the past … I can’t tell you…_ _the Copenhagen interpretation..._  
  
Aoi nudged his hand.  “You frozen or something?  C'mon, I'll—”  
  
Phi interrupted him with a harsh cry.  “Be quiet!”    
  
The duo froze.  Phi turned her head, listening, then looked back at the pair, wide-eyed.  “Do you hear that?”

A faint noise was edging into his consciousness.  He couldn’t quite place it.    
  
“What is it?” Sigma asked, standing up.

“It’s coming from the door,” Aoi said, straightening and looking at the door behind and slightly above them.  It was still shut, but the noise was getting louder.  It was a roaring, similar to the static, and seemed to be approaching quickly.  He stood up behind Phi, staring at the door.  
  
“We should– “ Phi began, and was cut off as the door burst open.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea what to say in these notes today... well, the deadline I'm setting for this fic is before next summer! This will be over before ZE3. :D 
> 
> This chapter was kind of a pain in the butt to write, but I have a few events coming up that I'm looking forward to sharing. <3 Thanks for sticking with me!


	24. Alice, Junpei, June

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s kind of like… they’re Zero.”

It took several minutes before anyone moved.  
  
The room was completely still.  If it wasn’t for the dust gently falling through the pale beams of light and his loud, pounding heartbeat, Junpei would have thought his brain had frozen, like a video stuck on the same frame.  
  
June was the first to move, taking a hesitant step forward. He wanted to stop her, but she didn’t acknowledge his outstretched hand as she stepped away from him.  She walked in a straight line slowly but deliberately, stopping where he knew she would, at the desk that held the memorial portrait.  The one, he remembered, that she used to sit at.  
  
She picked up the framed picture, her hand slowly wiping the dust from it as she stared at it—almost through it.  Her violet eyes seemed vacant.  

Junpei couldn’t find his voice.  He felt that if June said it out loud, the last few hours would shatter and disappear.  He’d wake up, alone, feeling the empty space in his heart where Akane’s voice had once echoed.  If she said it, it would be real.  
  
“So it’s true, then.”  
  
The young woman’s voice was barely a whisper.  She looked back up to her companions, her fingers white knuckled around the photo’s frame. 

Junpei tried to shake his head.   _No.  Don’t say it.  It’s not true, you’re here—it’s not real—I saved you—_  
  
“I died.  And that’s not all… I’ve died more than once.”  She bit her lip, her eyes meeting Junpei’s, staring deep into them.  “And maybe I should be dead right now.”  
  
He couldn’t find his words.   _No. NO. We saved you you’re here don’t say that you’re alive–_  
  
“You obviously didn’t die if you’re here now,” Alice’s cool voice cut in.  “I mean, come on.  You’re not a ghost.”   
  
Junpei tore his eyes away from June to look at the younger girl. Her expression didn’t have any conviction, but she spoke firmly.   “That wouldn’t make any sense, ghosts aren’t real no matter how many urban legends you grew up with.  Science would have found proof by now.”

The girl shivered, looking up around the room as she tightened the oversized jacket around her slender body.  The windows were covered with some kind of translucent white paper, giving her golden face a surreal glow.  She waved a hand at the room, at the silent, faceless dummies slumped at the desks. “This is some kind of really fucked up joke, or something…  You guys must have really pissed someone off for them to be messing with you like this. I mean, I know I couldn’t have made anyone that angry, I’m only a teen.  There’s nothing I possibly could have done to deserve this!”  Her lip trembled slightly as she spoke, and she bit it firmly, glaring at Junpei.  
  
The young man looked back to June.  Her eyes were empty, yet boring holes into his face.  Her own was expressionless.  

He had to look away.  How could he explain?  The girl he’d known so many years before flashed into his mind; the young girl with bushy hair, bright eyes, and an unwavering smile.  The precocious child with a bright future, a love of animals and the unexplained; the little girl whose life had been brutally cut short because of an innate talent she didn’t even know she had.

June sighed, looking down as she clutched the portrait. She pushed her chestnut hair behind one ear, her face slowly melting into one of sadness. He shook his head.  This wasn’t that little girl—June was a woman, a woman who had grown up unaware of any morphogenic nonsense.  A girl who had lived, not died over and over.  But child or woman, June or Akane, how could he possibly tell this woman that her true self was no longer an innocent girl, but had become almost an omnipotent god?  
  
“It’s fine.”  He looked up in surprise as June’s voice broke the silence.  A small, wavering smile was on her lips now.  “After all, there are many worlds, right?  Isn’t that what Aoi was saying?  So… we’re just in one where I’m not dead.  I mean, I’m here, right?  And if I was a ghost, I’d have a _tenkan_ or be transparent!”  She nodded, her smile tight lipped but firm as she convinced herself.  
  
“I just said that,” Alice said petulantly.  June gave a small, strained giggle.   
  
“You did, I’m sorry.  It’s just… a lot to take in, you know?  I mean, someone wanted me—really wants me– to think about a world where I’m …. not alive,” June continued.  She gestured around them, her brow furrowing.  “That’s… kind of _mean_ , you know?”  
  
Junpei let out a short, barking laugh, surprising himself.  It was so ironic to hear Akane Kurashiki, of all people, saying that an inexplicable room forcing its inhabitants to think about the impossible was  _mean_.  

His face twisted—half amused, half in pain.  He knew what had made Akane cold, committed, and able to do what needed to be done without emotion—but it was still hard to fully understand when he saw the innocent June in front of him, unaware that she was making commentary on what was her other selves’ regular behavior.  
  
June gave another giggle, smiling at her companions.  She couldn’t know why he was laughing, of course, but she was still trying hard to make them feel better.  He wondered how often she’d hid her own feelings like that, and how many times he’d arrogantly been oblivious as a young man—or even in the Nonary Game, when he naively believed that she was simply his childhood love to protect.  

He’d been completely wrong. Akane had saved herself. He’d just been a tool to help her—but after all the time he had to think about it as he searched for her, he realized he was somehow _fine_ with that. He didn’t need to be her hero—this wasn’t a fairy tale, like he’d discussed with Lotus and her daughters.  He wanted to find Akane to understand her, to help her—not just to protect the innocent June who stood in front of him, but Akane—the Akane, he was realizing, that was still missing.  His heart gave a hard twinge.  
  
“Anyways, we should keep searching,”  Alice said, breaking off his train of thought. “We’re under a time limit, right?  Wait—does anybody have a REAL watch?”

Junpei and June looked at each other, then laughed nervously.  Alice’s face twisted into a disgusted sneer.  “ _Seriously_?  Aren’t you the adults here? How are we gonna meet the others on time?”  
  
“I uh, guess we assumed we’d hear the clock toll,” Junpei said with a shrug.  “It does seem kind of dumb, when you mention it…”  
  
“Um…. Actually, I thought you had a watch,” June said, smiling awkwardly.  “I mean, pocket watches came back into fashion for guys recently, right?”  
  
Junpei cringed. She’d thrown him right under the bus!  How cruel…

“Anyways,” Alice said with her now signature eyeroll, “let’s just finish exploring here and get out already. This room is really freaky. Hopefully we won’t be late…” She turned to the teacher’s desk, muttering to herself about irresponsible adults.  
  
“I’ll take this side, okay?” Junpei offered, walking back to the memorial desk.  June nodded, hurriedly stepping away and looking at the other desks.  
  
This desk was the only one lacking a mannequin.  The portrait was clearly of Akane, with her innocent smile and cute, bushy hair.  He couldn’t help but grin at it, even with the context. She’d been so adorable… of course, she still was, but it was different.    
  
As he set the picture back down, he heard something slide.  “Hmm?”  
  
He removed the frame.  A keycard with a magnetic strip fell out.  He flipped it over.  There was an engraved picture on the front and a title, ‘The Tower’.  “Weird… this is a tarot design, I think?”  
  
“Oh?  I just found one too!  I think this was your old desk, right?” June asked. “It’s the Fool!  And it looks like it’s a keycard too.”  She looked around.  “There doesn’t seem to be anything we’d need them for here, so it must be in another room.”  She turned back to the other desks.

She was avoiding the mannequins, he realized.  He couldn’t blame her, they had a very creepy vibe to them. Junpei picked one up slightly, shaking it.  There didn’t seem to be anything interesting about the dummy, other than its brutally scratched out face.  
  
“I wonder why they don’t have faces,” he pondered out loud.  “Isn’t that… _effacing_ their identity?”  
  
June tilted her head sideways like a confused puppy.  “Eh?  I… guess?”

He sighed, shrugging.   _They can’t all be winners_.

“It’s kind of like… they’re Zero.”  
  
“What?”  His head snapped back around, staring at June as his heart pounded.    
  
“Zero, nothing, nobody.  They don’t have anything to distinguish themselves. Don’t you think it’s sad?”  She looked at one with a compassionate, sad smile.   _Oh_. It had just been June being June, using bizarre phrases to describe things.  Coincidence.  He let out a relieved sigh.  
  
“Yeah.  It’s like they’re all the same. Maybe that’s what makes it spookier?  Nobody has a face, so they have no identity.”  

A deep voice rumbled in Junpei’s memory.  ’ _I just wanted to see faces…’_

The young man frowned as he stood up straight.  “They remind me of someone…”  
  
“You know someone without a face like this?” June’s hands flew to her mouth in horror.  “Are they okay?  Was it an accident, or… that’s so morbid, I shouldn’t ask, sorry!”  
  
“No, that’s not it… just… never mind.”  How could he explain to her that the man responsible for her death had been unable to see faces?

It didn’t seem like there was much else around the back end of the room. No puzzles seemed to be around the desks, nor anything else out of the ordinary.  All of the dummies were identical.  Junpei looked up to Alice.  “Find anything?”  
  
She was staring down at the teacher’s desk, her brow furrowed.  He walked up, looking over her shoulder.  A few items were scattered in front of her, and another keycard—'The High Priestess.’  he couldn’t tell what the objects were—they looked like little wooden blocks.  He picked one up. “What’s all this?”  
  
Alice flew into the air like a startled cat, her hand clutching her chest.  “Don’t sneak up on me, idiot!”  
  
“Sorry! You were lost in thought, I didn’t mean to!”  Junpei raised his hands in surrender.  “Sorry!”  
  
“Whatever. Anyways, I found these in the drawers.  It seems to be key to solving a code.”  Alice held up one of the objects—it was a little piece of wood with a hieroglyphic and a letter printed on it. Junpei took it, frowning.  There was a small piece of rubber attached to the back, with a carving of the hieroglyphic.  
  
“Oh, it’s a stamp! I had one of those kits as a child!”  June said excitedly as she joined them.  “You could stamp out your own coded messages!  Every symbol corresponded to an English letter in the alphabet, or a number, which was written on the stamp itself—but it only printed the hieroglyphic, see?  I used to leave notes for Aoi all the time, even though my English wasn’t super good as a child. But he always knew what I meant!”  
  
“So it’s a puzzle solution, probably—but is there something here that needs to be decoded?”  Junpei asked, shuffling through the papers.  None of them seemed to have anything resembling the designs on them.  The faded writing looked like old tests or handouts, the same as the messy writing on the whiteboard.  None of it seemed like more than decoration.  “Did we maybe miss something?”  

The young girl’s eyebrows were twisted up in worry, and she had a reluctant frown.  She seemed to think a moment longer, then let out a deep breath.  “I don’t think so.”    
  
She pulled out a small roll of paper from her sleeve.  “I think it’s a clue to this.”  
  
“Where’d you find this?” Junpei asked, taking the paper and unrolling it.  A line of symbols was printed on one side, but nothing else.  
  
“You know they found me in a sarcophagus, right?  This was in there, too.  And the walls were decorated in hieroglyphics, just like these ones—I recognize some.”  Alice was biting her lip.  She looked very young again—she was afraid, Junpei realized.  “I guess if this room is a message for you guys… maybe that one was a message for me.”    
  
“That’s weird.  These ones aren’t really based on the ancient Egyptian language,” June said, tilting her head again.  “I mean, this stamp set is based on the English alphabet, which wasn’t even invented for centuries afterwards.  I think they just chose symbols that would look cool instead of real hieroglyphics.”

“It’s clear that it wasn’t a real pyramid. It’s more like… what someone who didn’t really know exactly what a pyramid was like would imagine it to be, like the set of a tv show.”  She let out a scoffing noise.  “Kind of gross to fetishize half my ethnicity like that. But anyways, besides this stupid outfit, they left me this paper.  I think I can use these to decode it.”  
  
“Let’s try!” June said enthusiastically, picking up a few stamps.  “Um…. let’s see…”  
  
They began to pass the different stamps around. Slowly, the wooden blocks began to line up to match the symbols on the paper.

When the line was completed, Alice read out the English letters.  
  
“D-A-D-?-A-S-K-T-H-E-B-L-O-N-D-M-A-N.”

“Dad? Ask the blond man.”  June tapped her chin.  “What does that mean…?  Is someone missing a dad?”  
  
“Left? Or Dio? Whatever that cranky guy’s name is?” Junpei asked.  “He’s the only blond one here, right?  Unless someone’s dyeing their hair.  Aoi bleaches his, right?”  
  
“I can’t answer that,” June said primly.  “A fashionable man must have his secrets.  But he’s definitely not blond!”  
  
“Yeah, it has to be Leftio.  But who’s Dad?  Is he a dad? I couldn’t see that… well, maybe if someone had a regrettable one-night stand with him or something… ” Junpei pursed his lips.  “And what the heck could Leftio have to do with Ali—Alice? Are you… okay?”

The young woman’s lips were trembling.  Tears had welled up in her eyes. June gently placed a hand on her arm.  
  
“Alice, what is it?”

“It’s my dad.”  She angrily wiped the oversized sleeve over her eyes. “They’re talking about him.”  
  
“ _Your_ dad?”  Junpei asked.  “How…”  

Alice interrupted him.  “He’s missing.  He’s been missing for a few years now. Mom and I have been searching, but…”  Her voice trailed off, and she gave a long sniffle.  She covered her face, letting out a small sob.  
  
“I’m so sorry,” June said, putting her arms around Alice’s shoulders.  “I… lost my parents too.  It’s really hard…”  
  
“If he had died, I could have dealt with that, you know?” Alice said, dropping her hands as the tears beginning to fall.  “But he’s not. I know he’s not. But I don’t know where he is!  I know he wouldn’t have left us—not willingly.  And…”

A loud gong sounded, cutting her off mid-sentence.  The group froze at the loud noise.  Several other chimes followed.  
  
“I guess you were right, Junpei,” June said as the echoes faded.  “We could hear the clock out here after all!”  
  
“Then that means we have to get back.”  Junpei looked to Alice.  “I’ll help you talk to that Leftio guy.  He seems like a real jerk, but I’ll make sure he answers you, even if we gotta get that Sigma guy to punch him again.  So think about what you want to ask, okay?”  
  
Alice nodded, a small smile forming as she dabbed her eyes again.  “You guys are actually pretty cool, you know?  Even if you’re weirdos and don’t really seem like adults.”  
  
“Thanks… I think?” Junpei shrugged, deciding it was more of a compliment than an insult. “Alright, let’s head back!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ARGH. I got hit with some depression issues so it was really hard to write for a while, but I'm doing better now. We're about at the midway point AND I have the next chapter finished already, so yay!
> 
> My beloved beta DrKurashiki had to take a break due to school, so the wonderful Kiichu stepped in! Any mistakes are my responsibility, of course, whether in spelling or canon or anything :) (plz be gentle with me.... ;)
> 
> Thanks for your support, I hope you are enjoying this!


	25. Luna, Dio, and Clover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I trust you, Luna.”

The metallic hallway outside was familiar to Dio, although he didn’t recognize the specific place.  There were two metal doors that slid open as he approached.  He stepped through the nearest one, and stopped abruptly, his boots skidding a half inch forward on the polished floor.    
  
It was the Lounge area from Rhizome-9.  Not an identical room—the _exact_ one, from the inconvenient drink mixer to the clock on the wall, even down to the magazine with Saturn on the cover resting on the couch.  He remembered making a snarky joke to Sigma – “ _it’s a dirty magazine–_ ”    
  
His heartbeat began to sound loudly in his ears.  Colors blurred together, and he staggered, clutching his head.  The pain was back, mixed with nausea and a horrifying sense that the room was beginning to fall away from him. For a moment he thought he heard nine different voices— _ten_?? echoing throughout the room, talking over each other—wait, was that voice… _his_?    
  
The room abruptly felt full, as if he’d stepped into a crowded marketplace.  There was rapid movement all around him, the sense of people rushing back and forth, even _through_ him.  Their voices were shrill, speeding faster and faster, and raising to a fevered pitch.  It was so crowded, and getting louder and louder.  He could feel so many things crushing in on him, he was going to be crushed.  That was what that pain was, these invisible bodies were completely flattening him, their voices puncturing his eardrums, stealing his air–  
  
“Ah—easy there!” Luna’s concerned voice came from beside him.  He felt an arm on his back—she was supporting his shoulders.  He snapped back to reality at the hated sensation of being touched by another, the pressure around him slowly fading.  He blinked hard, willing the woman to come into focus.  All he saw was a blur of purple beside him.  “You should sit down,” it said.  
  
He let the woman lead him over to the Lounge’s couch and fell onto it, clutching his head.  It felt like something was trying to smash its way out of his skull, but he could only feel relief that the other feelings had stopped.  His head lolled to the side when he realized Luna was still calling him.  
  
“Dio, can you hear me?”  Her face was almost in focus.  She was kneeling beside him, her blue eyes wide and eyebrows furrowed with concern.  “Dio?”  
  
He managed a slight grunt.  The worry on Luna’s face intensified.  “What are you feeling right now?  Is it specified in any area?”

He tried to ignore the question, letting out another groan and closing his eyes.  What did she want from him?  Not another stupid test…

“Dio, please answer me. Can you speak?”  Something in her voice was irritating him. Couldn’t she just be _quiet_?  He didn’t need to deal with the unfamiliar feelings her very presence dug out of him.

“No. It just hurts,” he finally managed to croak out, hoping that she’d drop it and just let him rest.  The last thing he wanted was to be injected with more Soporil, especially when that little bitch Clover was hiding something. He had to get it together.  Brother was relying on him. They all were. He had to succeed, to _belong_ again…

Luna’s gaze fell off to the side when she realized he wasn’t going to offer any more information. She bit her lip, whispering something to herself.  If every sound hadn’t been magnified to his senses, he didn’t think he would have heard her.  “Doctor… I don’t know what to do… I don’t _know_ what to do…”

A booming voice slammed into his ears. He squinted up to see a Clover-shaped blur standing above Luna.  She repeated what she had just said, her face coming into focus as she pushed back her hair to peer down at him.  Her blue-green eyes seemed curious, but far from worried—instead, she looked  _relieved_.  The realization led to an increase in his heart rate and accompanying pain.  There was only one reason she’d be happy to see him like this, unless the brat had been hiding a severely sadistic side.

She was _afraid_ of him now.  She hadn’t been before, and that meant she knew something that told her she _should_ be afraid.  There was something in that safe that showed he was a threat.  She was going to share it with the others, and they would imprison him again. He would never know what was going on here, never be able to find out how to serve his mission, never–

“Is his headache back?” she repeated.

It was so fucking _loud_.  How the hell was she so _loud_? The burst of anger and irritation seemed to give him strength.

“What the fuck does it look like?” he snarled.  Her shape unfocused again as he tried to glare in her general direction. “Are you fucking blind?”

“No, but my brother is, asshole!  Jeez, I was trying to be nice.” Her voice had wavered a little as she stepped back, her arms reflexively raising as if to guard herself.  He wondered if Luna had noticed Clover’s change in behavior yet.  She had to, there was no way that woman wasn’t better at reading people than he was.  

But Luna, herself, had been acting oddly.  Was she afraid of him too, suddenly?  She hadn’t been before, but maybe…  Damnit, was she going to be on Clover’s side?  Of course she was.  He was surprised that for a moment he had thought she might not be.  But no, she was an enemy too, devoted to that asshole Sigma.  How could he forget that, just because she had been taking care of him?  She was kind to everyone.  He wasn’t special.  His irritation intensified, although he couldn’t quite place why.  He couldn’t get rid of the pain, let alone clear his head.

Luna stood up, her hands straightening her skirt.  They were shaking slightly.  “Dio, she didn’t mean any harm.  And please be patient with him, Clover. He’s in a lot of pain. Let’s…”  She stopped, taking a deep breath.  “Let’s just try to get along, okay?” A strangled sob seemed to hover at the end of the question.

Clover’s voice was much quieter.  “I’m sorry, Luna.  Is there anything I can do?”  
  
“Um, let’s just get some water for him for now.“  
  
The unfamiliar feeling returned as the woman walked away.  Could it be… guilt?  He wasn’t sure if he’d felt it since he had betrayed Brother. Why would he feel that, though? He watched the purple blur through slitted eyes as it moved behind the counter, trying to make sense of it.

Luna looked exhausted to the point of collapsing. Was it her worry over him pushing her past her limit?  She seemed to really be stressed over his mystery pain.  No, it couldn’t be that—it had to be that stupid fucker Sigma’s fault. Sigma was the one who’d upset her in the first place by punching him. He honestly wasn’t sure why it bothered her.  It wasn’t like she’d been the one who had been struck.

Anyways, there was no need for him to feel guilty, if that was indeed the strange feeling that kept nagging at him. It was her choice to help him, after all. She didn’t have to.  It wasn’t his fault she was acting illogically.

Justifications continued to race through his head. But the emotion persisted, poking and pounding at his brain along with the horrific pain of the migraine.  He closed his eyes, trying to shut out the irritating thoughts and focus on the most important thing–himself.  Was he dying?  Here, in this place– his mission— _failed incomplete successful over not started_ — he squeezed his eyes shut tighter, trying to press the intrusive thoughts away. So many impossible, contradicting memories…

There was the sound of some movement.  
  
“Here you go.  Try drinking slowly.” Dio opened his eyes.  A glass had appeared in front of him with a clear liquid in it. He reached for it, sitting up.  His hands grazed over Luna’s as she released it.

The touch didn’t burn.  He quickly pushed that thought away.

Dio gratefully gulped the water, the pain in his head already dulling. The rest of the room was slowly focusing, the colors separating back into their proper paces.  Luna was kneeling beside him again, her pale face still twisted with worry.  Her eyes had dark shadows, and stray hairs were floating around her face. Her expression changed slightly as she noticed that he was watching her.  He couldn’t read it.

“Y-You should probably rest a while.  Clover and I can examine this room on our own—it’s not that big– and we’ll let you know what we find.” Her kind smile didn’t reach her haunted eyes and slumped shoulders.

He nodded, setting his face in one hand and breathing slowly.  He had to get a hold of himself.

The women were talking softly from across the room. Even though they were whispering and several feet away, it sounded as if they were right next to him.

“Luna, can you maybe knock him out again?  You still have more Soporil, right?”

Clover sounded far too excited about that idea, he thought, scowling internally.  He tried to breathe slowly, gathering his strength.  If they tried to inject him again, it was over.  He’d have to fight them both.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Luna replied quietly. “He… he’s had a lot of Soporil lately.  I don’t think that could be helping his pain.”  She paused.  “I honestly don’t know what the effects of so much would be.  I can’t find it in my…  I mean… it never came up before.”  

There was another pause, and her voice grew softer.  “I might have made a mistake dosing him with what I found here in the first place.  It might not have been real Soporil… it might have made him worse.  I honestly don’t know.  I don't—I don’t know.”  There it was again, that awful, choked sob lingering in her voice.  He _hated_ it.

“Luna, don’t blame yourself–you’re being way nicer than he deserves.  I mean you gave the same stuff to that other lady, Phi, right? And just as much, so it couldn’t have been too much! And she was fine this morning.  So he’s probably just suffering from some kind of, I don’t know, being-a-jerk disease or something.”

Luna hesitated.  “I meant… before we got here.  He… he was dosed with Soporil… for a long time.”

His vision had cleared almost completely when he opened his eyes slightly.  He remembered that, it was a sharper memory than the rest. But—that was impossible.  That memory was following his failure. He didn’t fail. He couldn’t fail.  Myrmidons didn’t fail at anything. He had, once, but twice was impossible.  She had to be talking about something else, he must’ve been pretending to be helpless.  

He refused to acknowledge the horrible feeling in his gut.  The little foreign voice came back “ _are you su–_ ”

“Wait, you knew him from before?  Sorry, I’m having trouble keeping track of who’s from where.  I thought you just knew Sigma and his not-girlfriend.”  
  
“It’s a long story, Clover.  I’m so sorry, I don’t think we have the time right now.  Is it okay if I tell you later?”  
  
“Yeah… but um… I have something I need to tell you too.  But…” Her voice dropped even lower.  “Not in front of him.”  
  
Luna made a soft questioning noise, then there was silence.  Dio closed his eyes again, pretending to still be fully incapacitated.  He heard footsteps walking back over, and a soft clink.  
  
“Dio, I’ve left you another glass of water. We’ll be right back, okay?  We just need a moment.”  
  
“Yeah! It’s um, girl stuff.  So don’t eavesdrop, okay?”  
  
He didn’t open his eyes, grunting in response.  He hoped it sounded sufficiently disinterested.  Another pause, then he heard the women walking away.  The door opened, and they stepped into the hallway.  
  
As soon as he heard it hiss shut completely, he flung himself to the floor, landing like a cat on all fours, and rushed over to sit beside the entrance, pressing his ear to the crack on the side.  His head spun a little before he willed it into recovery with sheer stubbornness. This was not the time to pass out.  
  
He could hear Clover’s heels clacking along the metal floor for a minute, and could picture her pacing slightly.  

“Clover?” Luna’s voice said.  “What is it?”  He could almost see her, head slightly tilted to show she was eager to listen to whatever the other woman had to say.  Her eyes probably had even more worry. The look didn’t suit her, no matter how often she wore it.  
  
Clover hesitated, her footsteps silenced.  There was a deep breath and heavy exhale.  “Luna… I… I lied earlier.”

“Lied?” Luna asked, sounding slightly surprised.  What did she expect? Everyone lied.  Everyone… even she did, he knew it, even if he wasn’t quite sure what she was lying about now. “What did you lie about?”

Another sigh came from Clover. “The safe.  I mean, you probably figured it out, I’m really not a very good liar.  I think Dio did too, but I really hope not.”

The Clover he’d first met had been, he thought to himself.  But this girl—she definitely wasn’t.  He swallowed, trying to lean closer.  
  
“You see… there… there was another tablet.  I turned it on, and Dio’s photo came up… “  
  
He bit his lip, hard, to keep from making an irritated noise.  Of course she’d lied about that, something so fucking important!  His head gave another throb, and he forced himself to take a slow, deep breath and relax as he continued to listen.  
  
“Why didn’t you tell him?” Luna asked gently, without a hint of accusation in her voice.  Damnit, why was she so fucking nice to everyone? He bet Clover could have told her that she murdered seven people with an axe and Luna would probably just ask if she felt okay or needed to talk.  He felt the slightest pinch of guilt again—after all, that was exactly how Luna had treated him, and if any of his memories were true, then he had killed before… maybe multiple times…  So why was it so damn  _irritating_ to see Clover get that same kindness?

Clover’s voice was wavering. “I… snooped.  I mean… I was curious as to why everyone seemed to hate him so much, because he didn’t seem all that bad, you know?  Just like… massively overcompensating or something. I mean, I couldn’t tell if he really WAS arrogant, or was just  _pretending_ to be arrogant so nobody noticed he actually hated himself, you know?  So I was just having fun teasing him and stuff, like a regular person.  But… the tablet…”  The heels clunked slightly, and Clover gave a slight, choked sniffle.

“Luna, it said some really scary stuff!  That he was in a cult and a terrorist!  And there was a video—I didn’t watch it, because that’s when he pounded on the wall, it scared me—I thought for sure that he knew I was snooping, somehow.  I just shoved it back and pretended that yours was the only one in there.”  
  
Luna was silent. Clover’s voice continued.  “You… you knew him before, did you know that?”  
  
“I… do know a bit about his past.  But I don’t think he’s in any position to hurt us right now.  I think–”

“But that’s not all, Luna!  There were these other things there, I don’t know what they were but they had timers on them.  I think they might have been bombs!”  The girl made a gulping noise.  “And even if he’s barely able to move, if he has a weapon like that, we’ll all be at his mercy. What if he forces me to open the safe again? Oh, Luna, I don’t know what to do!”    
  
Her heels clattered, and he heard a soft noise.  From the muffled sobbing, he guessed that Clover had flung herself into Luna’s arms. He felt more irritation—it must be because the girl was playing the victim.  
  
“I’m _really_ scared, Luna!  I’m more scared than I was in any other game I’ve been in!  Even though Light’s here, and so many other people I trust—I just—what if we’re all gathered to die together in some horrible explosion?  I don’t want to lose everyone I care about! I don’t want to die!”  

She was gasping for breath between sobs.  “And what’s worse is I just…  I can’t seem to control my emotions, either!  I feel like…. almost like someone else’s feelings keep overshadowing mine, and I can’t get them to go away.  I don’t know if it’s because of my Esper powers, or…”  Her voice trailed off.

  
“See? I just did it again.  I lost control, and now  I’m overloading you with all of this stuff, and it’s not even like you _know_ me.  And I mean if you don’t know about Espers, I just sound like a crazy person. But I just… I feel like I can trust you—no, I’m certain of it.  I _know_ I can trust you.  I just _know_.  But Luna, what can we do?”  
  
Luna’s voice sounded calm, but there was a slight edge to it.  The woman was going to fall apart if anyone leaned on her any harder for support.  “It’s okay, Clover.  You’re okay. Just calm down a minute, and let me think, okay?  You’re safe right now.”  
  
Clover let out a shuddering sigh, and Dio tried to hold his breath.  What was Luna going to decide to do?  Did she have more Soporil with her?  Would he have to fight?    
  
The kind voice pulled his thoughts back.  Luna was speaking again.

“I… I don’t have answers as for why you’re feeling this way, Clover. I… I’m not an esper, myself, but I’ve known a few.  It does sound like it could be you picking up on a stronger esper’s emotions.  But they’re not bad ones, are they?”

“No,” Clover answered. She gave a sniffle.  It seemed like she’d stopped crying. “They feel almost… too happy.  Like… part of me feels like I’m at a big party, like a reunion, and that everything is actually okay—and I think that’s how I’ve been acting, too, you know?  But the deeper part—the part that’s  _definitely_ me—is just scared.”  
  
“The doc… I mean, Sigma or Phi might know more about this,” Luna said slowly.  He wanted to roll his eyes.  Why did she depend on that loser so much?  Sigma didn’t seem to be _that_ much smarter than him.  And there was no way he was a _real_ doctor.  “Why don’t we talk to them when we meet back up? We can head back when we’re done searching this room.”  
  
“Okay.  But Luna, what about Dio? I mean… he’s probably stronger than both of us… but maybe we could knock him out with Soporil again? Do you have any with you?”  
  
Fuck. She wasn’t letting that idea go. Dio frantically glanced around the room, then remembered the knife in his boot.  He reached for it, planning his next move.  Yeah, he could overtake them both, easily. He wasn’t just reassuring himself, of course not.  He just had get to Clover first—a direct thrust, to the chest, it would stop her immediately–and then… _then_ …

His temples throbbed, and he grabbed both sides of his head. He could feel them pulsating—were they going to burst, spraying blood all over the room?  But he couldn't—he had to focus.  He had to kill– No, that wasn’t right.  He couldn’t explain what he was feeling, but he knew that it wasn’t _right_.  But what was _right_?  Was it Brother’s teachings, or was it… his own opinions?  No. He didn’t have his own opinions. He was Left. Brother’s tool. There was no him, no Dio, just… _but_.  That tiny voice kept creeping back in. Where the fuck did it come from? It wasn’t his.

_Are you sure?_

_I’m losing it_ , he realized.   _I’m losing my fucking mind. It’s breaking apart, and that’s what the pain is._

“I don’t think that would be a good idea,” Luna responded finally. “I… he’s been given a large amount in the past few days, and I think it might be linked to the headaches he’s been getting.  I know Soporil’s supposed to be safe, but… it might seriously injure him.”

“But if he’s trying to kill us, does it matter?  Or… do you not believe me?”  He heard a click, and imagined Clover was stepping back. His heart skipped a beat.  If she was gone, then he wouldn’t have to hurt anyone.  It would just be him and… no, no that was not good either.  Shit.  He struggled to keep his head from spinning.  Gotta focus…

“Oh no, Clover, that’s not it at all!”  Luna let out a sigh.  “You know… I knew him, right?  I was in the same game.  And…he has been very dangerous in the past.  I think he was really the main threat during the game I was in… so I don’t trust him.  I believe you.”  
  
Somehow, that stung a little.  He shook the feeling off—it had to be irritation that she wasn’t going to be as easy to manipulate as he’d thought.  
  
“But,” Luna continued, “based on… _why_ he was the threat, I don’t think that he’s going to hurt us right now.  There’s no reason for him to, especially since he doesn’t know what you found.  And… if he really wanted to hurt us, he had plenty of times to already, you know?”  
  
“He could just be waiting,” Clover insisted.  “It said he was acting under orders from his brother or something.  Maybe they’re the ones in charge of this and I’ve just been really stupid to be playing around with him, just because there was no obvious threat.”  She let out another small sob.  “I’m such an idiot.”  
  
“No, no you’re not,” Luna soothed.  “And I don’t think so.  It’s hard to explain the fully story, but maybe we all can later, okay?”  She let out a deep breath again.  “I think… right now, we’re all in a situation we don’t understand, Dio included.  He really has no motive to hurt us right now, you know?  What would he gain?  It’s not our bracelets that are needed to activate the doors, it’s us, ourselves. He wouldn’t be able to get anywhere without us.”  
  
“That’s true,” Clover agreed, her voice low with reluctance.    
  
“So he’ll need us in order to explore this place, and to find the answers.”  Luna continued, her voice growing slightly more confident.  “I think… he might be just as scared as we are right now, and he’s definitely in pain, too.  That doesn’t mean we can trust him, but I don’t think he’s exactly our enemy right now, either.  So until our situation changes, I think we’ll be okay just keeping an eye on him, okay?  We can let everyone else know about what you found when we all meet up again.  We just need to keep it from him…”  
  
Figures. She was going to lie to him again. Even the most pure humans were eager to betray for their own selves. He let out an annoyed puff of air.  He’d thought she was better than that. He slowly moved his hand from the knife’s hilt.  At least he didn’t have to worry about getting jumped, for now.  
  
“I trust you, Luna.”  Clover’s voice was firm.  She’d stopped crying.  “I’m really glad you’re with me.”  
  
“Thank you, Clover.  Let’s get through this together, okay?  I’m sure we can.”

Clover’s heels clacked, and he hurried to fling himself back on the sofa before the two women returned.  After a moment, he heard the door open.  
  
“I apologize,” Luna said as she walked over to the couch.  “Are you feeling better?”  
  
He gave a short shrug, keeping his face hidden under his hat.    
  
“We’ll search this room for now—you get some rest, alright?”

Yeah. Rest.  He leaned back, pulling his hat over his eyes.  Rest, and time to figure out what the fuck to do.  If his head would stop spinning… and he wasn’t even sure if it was just the illness confusing him.

He closed his eyes.  No matter how hard he tried to focus on himself, his mission, that annoying voice kept whispering in his mind.

_Are you sure?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SEE I TOLD YOU ANOTHER CHAPTER WOULD COME SOON! See! I didn't lie (thistime)!!!
> 
> Anyways, thanks to kiichu for the beta read, thanks to you for reading (and not sending hatemail ;)), thanks to my cat for being awesome. I guess. Or something.


	26. Sigma, Phi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You don't get a free pass just because you're young this time around, you know?"

Sigma wasn't sure _what_ he had been expecting the loud noise outside the door to be, but it absolutely had not been _this_.

The door burst open and a huge wave of water crashed into the room, flinging the furniture and computers before it like leaves in a high wind. Aoi's expletive was cut off as the water slammed into the group, sweeping them off their feet and down to the bottom wall.

Sigma struggled to stand as chairs and tables were pushed into him, searching for his companions in the rushing water. Although the pressure of the initial wave had passed, it was already a few feet deep and rising more with each second. Bizarrely, the previous thought that he had recognized the room finally clicked into place. It was one of his college's old lecture halls from his freshman year. He pushed the thought away to deal with later as he pulled himself up.  
  
“Phi? PHI!” Sigma yelled, finally regaining his feet. He braced himself against the flow, holding onto the wall.

“Here!” The smaller woman was already standing at the exit with the water's depth nearing her waist. Aoi was struggling to get up beside her. He seemed to be caught partially in a tangle of chairs pressing against the wall. With a surge of strength, Sigma grabbed Aoi's arm and yanked him free. He had never felt so glad for his college's cheap, pressed wood tables and plastic chairs in his life.

Aoi struggled to pull the keycard out of his soggy pockets. He shoved it into Phi's hand, and she slammed it through the reader. There was already three feet of water pressing around them, and it pulled at the group as it sprayed out through the door. Sigma grabbed onto the door frame to stay balanced, and Aoi and Phi unabashedly clung to him as the waves surged around them.

“We have to--” Phi's voice was cut off as a table slammed into her, yanking her arms from Sigma's. She didn't have time to scream as she fell under the water.  
  
“PHI!” Sigma threw himself after her, shaking off Aoi. The other man was whisked away in the opposite direction.

The opened room was familiar to Sigma—it was one of the hallways from Rhizome-9. It filled faster than Sigma thought possible. One moment he was trying to get to his feet in waist deep water, the next he was struggling for air at the top of the room, and then it was completely full, without any air pockets. He kicked around, desperately searching through the dim light for any place to go.  
  
He couldn't see any doorways. The one he'd been pulled through was far behind him. His lungs were burning, and he had a horrible urge to take in a breath—a move that would guarantee his doom. He had to breathe—it was his only motivation now, not finding Phi, not getting out, just finding air.

He kicked forward furiously with the flow of the water, seeking any change in the walls. The hallway seemed to be eternal, endlessly repeating the same metallic panel over and over. His energy was fading fast, and his kicking became weaker.

A strange calm came over him as he realized that he was probably about to die.  
  
He could almost laugh at it—all those struggles, all of this mystery, and here he was, dying _again_. He wondered if he would be jumping to another timeline, holding onto faint memories of this one, or if this time was it—if he was really, finally going to be _dead_.

He went limp, floating along with the flowing water. He wasn't panicked, somehow. Maybe he should be. But he already knew the hell that was waiting for him if he did live—he was going to be mutilated as he suffered through the Mars Mission. If he failed to change whatever it was that needed to be changed, he would then become the monstrous Dr. Klim. All for motives he still didn't fully understand. Living, dying, over and over...

Strangely, he heard Luna's voice in his memory. Not speaking to him, but to a man holding a trigger, dead set on killing them all.

“ _But Dio, you'll die too!_ ”

“ _Who cares? I've got spares_.”

_Spares_. The Left clones were _spares_ , just extra pieces in a shitty game. He'd felt at the time that Dio's attitude towards his life was reprehensible. But wasn't he the same, just a spare consciousness to be used and discarded if he failed?

Worse, it was the same way _he_ would be treating others—even his own past self--as Dr. Klim. How many versions of himself had-- _would_ \--die in each AB Game, throughout each timeline? Only one consciousness would escape, fleeing into another body with faint memories of its experience, leaving the previous version to a lonely, confusing death. It was a cold, heartless game.

Every single person, even himself, was just a means to an end to the person he would become.

He would drag others into this game of life and death, strangers like Tenmyouji and Clover and Alice, even Quark, a _child_. He would make K, a clone he'd call his son, but treat like a stranger, and Luna, designed with the kind heart of a human woman, but destined to never leave the cage of the Rhizome. Everyone was created and used as the Doctor's pawns. Everyone.  
  
Maybe now it was this consciousness'--his own's-- turn to be brutally discarded, no longer able to jump to another timeline and leave a dying body behind. Now that they'd succeeded in the AB Game, maybe the Doctor no longer needed him for his plans—this version of him didn't need to exist if the world had already been saved. Perhaps this game he'd woken up in wasn't really one at all, just a means to dispose of the used game pieces.

He realized his mind was racing as if he was still infected with Radical6. Time had barely passed in this corridor, his lungs were still desperately holding on to the tiniest bit of oxygen. He closed his eyes again, preparing to take a breath and accept death. At any time now, the reflex would kick in and he'd gasp in the water to drown.

It was over.

Something brushed past him, and he weakly glanced towards the object. His eyes flew open fully as he recognized it.

It was Phi, unconscious. Her soft white hair floated around her face, and her vest was fluttering in the water. She looked like a discarded doll.

His feelings of despair vanished in an instant.

If he died, that was one thing—but not Phi. Not _Phi_. Sigma surged forward, grabbing her vest and pulling her towards him. He grasped her small body tightly around the waist, and began to desperately swim.

His lungs felt full of acid as he struggled. The urge to just _breathe_ was overwhelming. And then he saw it—a door. A door that didn't belong on the Rhizome, a door made of elegant wood, but a door nonetheless. The current was being sucked towards it and leaking through the cracks around its edges, which meant there was air on the other side!  
  
He kicked at it, hard, opening the latch, and the pressure launched them through.  
  
Air. He gasped so hard it felt like a scream as his head broke the surface. The water was spilling into a large, familiar room with a high ceiling. It carried him across it, and then dumped him onto an elegant set of curved stairs.

Somehow, he was able to scramble to his feet, clawing at each step as he dragged Phi along behind him until he reached the landing, where the water stopped. He fell to his back, gasping for air, eagerly sucking more and more in until his strength returned. The sound of the water was fading—it wasn't lapping around his feet anymore. It seemed for this moment, they were safe.

He gathered the strength to roll over towards Phi. She wasn't moving, and her eyes were still closed. Her soggy clothes were wrapped tightly around her, emphasizing how small she really was under the flowing garments.  
  
“Phi? Phi!” Sigma patted her cheeks and gently shook her. There was no response. He pressed his head against her chest while fumbling to feel a pulse on her neck. Her heart was still beating, but she didn't seem to be breathing. He realized he was shaking so badly he was unable to tell. “ _Shit_!”  
  
He tried to think back to his CPR courses at college. It was one thing to practice on a plastic, nightmarish dummy, but another altogether to do it on a living being—especially when he couldn't afford to fuck it up.  
  
“Um, pinch the nose, right...?” he said out loud as he closed her nostrils. “And then breathe in.... into the mouth...”  
  
He leaned over, taking a deep breath and pausing a second. Wait--was this right? Or was he getting the reality of CPR mixed up with that one swimsuit porn video? He couldn't think straight, he was too panicked. _Fuck_ \--  
  
Something smacked into his mouth. Sigma's jaw slammed shut as Phi's hand pressed into it. Her eyelids slowly fluttered open.

“Y—you're kidding, right?” The small woman coughed, spitting out some water to the side. She gave him a tired, wry look. “You really are a pervert, you know that?”  
  
Sigma pulled her upright, his arms around her shoulders to support them as she took several deep breaths. She looked up at him, drops of water hanging delicately on her white bangs. She brushed them away, letting out a faint laugh. “You don't get a free pass just because you're young this time around, you know?”

“Shut up,” Sigma growled, unable to restrain his emotion. He pulled her against him in a tight hug. He could feel tears forming as he rested his chin in her wet hair. “You almost _died_ , you idiot.”

She surprised him by wrapped her arms around his bicep in response and resting her head on his chest. “You could've, too.”

The pair was silent for a moment. The only sound was their ragged breathing, finally slowing to normal rates.

Phi spoke again first. “It's strange, but I feel like this time... it would have been final.”  
  
“Yeah.” Sigma wondered if she'd come to the same conclusions he had as they floated along. He felt far too tired to start that conversation, or even think about it, for that matter. He closed his eyes, holding Phi a little tighter.

He was surprised, but grateful, that Phi didn't push him away, in fact, she had accepted and returned his affection. The last—well, only time—she'd really let him touch her had been right before they'd been blown up, holding him tightly until the very end. He wondered if he had creeped her out, since he had looked kind of... _questionable_ in the old, one-eyed body of Dr. Klim. Of course, waking up next to him in a completely different body may have been much more alarming. Yet she had accepted him as he was, no matter what he looked like. No matter what timeline they ended up in, she just _knew_ him, the way he always _knew_ her.

The bond between them was a relationship he had never dreamed of having, even though he couldn't definite it in words. They had shared experiences no one else could possibly understand. No matter what happened, he wanted Phi beside him. He could get through anything—even becoming the Doctor he dreaded--if she was there.

The water had mostly disappeared, leaving only a few inches on the marble floor. The loud splashing had been replaced by a heavy silence, broken only by the occasional drip. Sigma let out a deep sigh as he looked over the room, loosening his hold on Phi.

“You know, you offered to wear a swimsuit for me in one timeline, but this... this is really too much,” His laugh turned into a heavy cough halfway. “Don't bring the water next time, and actually remember the suit, okay?”  
  
“Harr harr,” Phi responded dryly, rolling her eyes and gently pushing away from him. She cleared her throat as she looked around. “It's probably a stupid question, but... where's Aoi?”

“He got swept in the opposite direction,” Sigma said. He paused. “And... I don't think we can go back for him.”  
  
Phi tilted her head in a question, and in response, he pointed to something that wasn't there.

The door they had been swept through was gone.

Phi opened her mouth and then closed it, shaking her head. Sigma shrugged sarcastically.

“You know what? Sure. Why the fuck not. Another disappearing door. Makes _perfect_ sense.”

“Ignoring that for now, this room does look familiar.” Phi's eyes drifted up to the wood paneled ceiling.

“It's... kinda—well, no, almost _exactly_ like first room,” Sigma said. He let out a frustrated noise, slapping his hand onto the wet floor. “But it doesn't make any damn sense. We didn't circle around at all—at least not far enough that we'd be back where we started. And it's missing the symbol doors. I guess that's going to be a theme—vanishing doors.”

He squinted, trying to see to the far corner of the room. “It looks like there's another set of stairs down around there, going down. I think that's where all the water went. So probably a dead end.”  
  
“You think it's another duplicate, rather than the same room?” Phi asked, slowly standing up. She picked up the hem of her vest and began to wring it out as she looked around. “The stairs on that side of this staircase go to a wall instead of the large room with the beds.”  
  
“That's a very... _questionable_ design choice,” Sigma replied. “Whoever's behind this... I have my serious doubts about their sanity.” He gestured with his chin to their right, where an ascending staircase was curving around a wall. “Looks like this is the only way to go.”

“Yeah,” Phi agreed, taking off a boot and dumping out the water. She looked at Sigma sympathetically. “Looks like you're going to be wet for a while in that outfit.”  
  
“Hey, I can take it off if that's--” Phi's second boot smacked into his chest.  
  
“Come on. Less playing around, more exploring.” Her eyes narrowed. “I'm getting really tired of being toyed with.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a pretty long one that gave me some issues--I thought I was ready to post it and then ended up rewriting half. Currently I am beta-less, so please forgive any bizarre errors I was unable to catch. I'm sure I'll read it again after I post it and smack myself for missing things!
> 
> Anyways, I make poor life choices. Don't write long involved fanfics with this many characters, kids! Love yourselves.
> 
> But seriously, thank you for reading, leaving kudos, and kind comments. Most of all, thank you for your patience. :)


	27. Aoi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "We're in the box. I am the cat."

  
There was _nothing_ around him.

Aoi wasn't sure if his eyes were opened or closed; maybe they didn't even exist anymore.

His limbs were numb—or maybe they too, were gone.

It wasn't even silence around him, he realized, it was as if he was trying to hear from his elbow. It was simply _nothing_.

He realized he was probably dead.

The last thing he could remember feeling was water crushing around him, running over him and searching for a way to invade his body. He had tried desperately to keep it out as it pressed into his ears and up his nose, but the pressure combined with the drastic need to _breathe_ was just too much, and he finally gasped out for air. Instead, the fluid had rushed into his lungs.

There was pain—such extreme, burning pain—and then he had, well, _died_.

But death didn't feel the way he had thought it would. After all, he was still conscious, somehow, even if everything else was gone. It didn't make sense.  
  
Akane suddenly flashed through his mind, lying cold and lifeless in a pool of blood. Was it like this for her, when she had slowly bled out? Did she find herself alone in a great nothingness?

He wasn't even sure anymore _when_ she had died—or if she had even died at all. His sister had become something beyond his mortal comprehension.

He remembered jolting awake, shivering in a cold sweat, from a memory of Akane's death, the grit of her ashes still feeling rough in his hands. He'd sat up, staring wildly into the dark, and had been shocked to see his sister sitting next to his bedside with a calm, sad smile.

She'd taken his hands and explained to him that her death hadn't been a dream, but it could be, if they were able to create the right circumstances. He'd cried and tried to hold her, but she was both there, and wasn't. He promised the darkness that he'd do whatever it took, whatever she asked of him.

And then it was years of following her instructions, sometimes feeling that Akane was right there beside him, and other times wondering if she was only a hallucination brought on by his extreme grief. Whether she was real or not, his life had been irrevocably changed. He'd dropped out of school, cut off contact with everyone he'd known. He'd moved to America and became a grifter, tricking people out of their money and investing it in the stock market, all per his sister's ghostly instructions.

_We're in the box, I am the cat_ , she'd told him as he'd broken down one night, unable to hold his mind together. He could feel the soft touch of her hand as she stroked his hair, holding him—but there wasn't anything there. _Please stay strong._ _When the box opens, we'll be okay_.   
  
He'd believed her. He had to believe her. Akane had become the only thing he lived for—and revenge. He was going to make those bastards at Cradle pay for her death, even if he could bring her back. Their sins could not be undone by even that miracle.

And then, it had all fallen apart. Even though he'd worked so hard, obeyed every instruction she gave him exactly, precisely, the elements they could not control destroyed it all.

The box had opened, and it had been empty.

Aoi couldn't really remember much of his life after that failure. Now that he seemed to have nothing but his thoughts, he wondered why there were no memories there.

He could clearly remember waking up in the elevator with Junpei. Seeing the young man who had failed his sister so utterly lying peacefully across the room from him had filled him with rage, which was overtaken by confusion.

The bitterness and confusion were replaced by pure elated when he saw his Akane's face again. It hadn't made any sense, but he didn't _care_. He _knew_ his sister, he'd know her anywhere. He had no doubts that the girl who had held him on the stairs was the same little girl he'd taught to color, walked to school, and held as she sobbed when their parents had died. Even though she was now an adult, he recognized her completely.  
  
But it _wasn't_ the sister who had saved her own life by manipulating and tricking the universe itself.

So who was she? And where were they, and why?

He couldn't come up with any suitable answers. His thoughts slowly stopped. It didn't matter, after all. Even if he _had_ been able to figure it all out, he was dead.  
  
He just wondered why his mind hadn't gotten the message yet. Shouldn't he have stopped thinking by now?

“Aoi...”

The voice was so familiar. Of course he recognized it immediately, he'd heard grow from a baby's nonsense babbling to the never-ending questions of a child, and then to the ghostly echoes of a young woman who was there, and also wasn't.

_I'm dead_ , he thought in response. _Is that why I can hear you now?_

“You're not dead, silly.”

_Then where am I?_

“You're... let's say you're dreaming.”

Akane... He wanted to open his eyes—the eyes he could no longer feel—to see her face. He knew she was there with him—she had to be. He _felt_ something again, and then everything snapped into place.

His eyes existed again. He squeezed them, hard, then opened them.

Several inches away were kind purple eyes, gazing down at his face lovingly. _Akane_.

His limbs had weight and feeling. He was lying down, with his head in his sister's lap. She was wearing black and red robes, ones he faintly recognized. He'd dressed Light in those robes, obeying her instructions. He remembered taking the man's elegant clothing off, and redressing that Cradle bastard in it. He remembered blushing furiously the entire time, feeling like a sex criminal as he manipulated the unconscious young man into the black garments.

He shook off the memories, gazing up at his sister's face. He couldn't see much past her—everything was still out of focus. He concentrated on her eyes. She smiled at him.

“Kanny.... What's going on?” His voice was rough, rusty. He coughed, feeling a twinge of pain forming.

“You know, I owe you an apology.”

An apology? He'd settle for an explanation. He tried to read her face, but she wasn't looking at him anymore. Her hands tangled in his hair as she gently stroked it.

“I know, it's not possible for me to set things right for every one. Every time something happens, in another world, it doesn't.”

Something wasn't right. The pain was getting worse.

“In a world I live, in another I die. There will always be an opposing force to every action I take, keeping the balance. And that means I can't fix everything. Even if I'm able to save you, in another world, I won't be able to.”

He wasn't sure he was following. Her face was hidden under her thick chestnut hair as she lowered her head.   
  
“But I need you to know, Aoi, _I love you_. I always have, and always will, love my big brother no matter what world we're in. You are more important to me than I could ever express.”

Something wet fell from her face onto his cheek. He looked up at her again. She was smiling at him, but her eyes were overflowing with tears. They spilled out, peppering his face with soft splashes. She was still smiling as she spoke, the gentle expression at odds with the pain in her eyes.

“I'm so sorry for leaving you alone. I've left you alone in so many worlds, even ones that eventually crumble apart when I cease to be.” She paused to take a deep breath, quieting the sob in her voice. “And I wish, I really wish, that there was only one world... A world where we grew up together. I wish the biggest problem we'd ever faced was arguing over Junpei bringing me home too late after our first date, or whose turn it was to do the dishes.”

He wanted to reach up, to brush away the water falling down her cheeks. He couldn't move. The pain was becoming more intense. He forced out a small smile. “You know, that guy really is an idiot.”

She gave a small laugh, then a gentle smile. “I know, Aoi. But I loved him anyways.”

His smile faded. The pain was so bad he could almost hear it—or was that a real noise? It sounded like the rushing water that had killed him, but it seemed to reverberate with his pain. Was he _hearing_ pain instead of _feeling_ it?

Either way, it was hard to understand what his sister was saying. She looked up, as if noticing that someone had entered the room, and let out a sad sigh.

“I'm sorry, Aoi, but you have to go back now.”  
  
He wanted to ask why. He wanted to ask her so many things. But he couldn't open his mouth—the pain was overwhelming. He struggled to focus on her voice.

“I just wanted to tell you that I love you, big brother. No matter what happened... or will happen... or won't... that will never, _ever_ change.”

She was fading, as if a dark liquid had been spilled over a watercolor painting. And then, she was gone.

The agony was overwhelming him, crushing him, as if he was being forced into a container that he couldn't quite fit in.

Abruptly, it stopped. The sensation was replaced with an ordinary kind of pain—a dense kind of exhaustion, like he'd been running for miles, pressing his body past its limits.

His other senses were returning. He could hear voices arguing. He groaned, and finally opened his eyes.

Light Field's perfect face was hovering a few inches above him, sculpted into a concerned expression. His eyes twitched slightly under his perpetually closed lids, and his face softened into a smile.

“Welcome back,” the young man said, softly. Aoi found himself grinning in return.

“Yeah, I'm here.” He coughed. His lungs still burned.

Behind him, Lotus and her husband were arguing. It took him a minute to make out the words. He slowly sat up. He didn't really understand the room he was in—some kind of medical room, maybe? There was a fabric partition to his side, and off in a corner he could see the bickering couple. He was a little confused by their clothing choice—it looked like something from the original Titanic. But at least the old lady was covered up, he guessed.

“He's _dead_ , we should be leaving--”  
  
“We can't just leave him here--”  
  
“What if the killer comes back? Then what? There's no marks on his body, there's no telling how they killed him and--”

He let out a louder, intentional cough.

“Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not dead.”

Lotus' head jerked towards him in amazement. Her mouth dropped open, and she tried to close it several times before succeeding. “A-Aoi...?”

“He is, indeed, alive.” Light turned to the pair, sitting up straight with a calm smile. He had been sitting on some kind of stool beside the cot Aoi rested upon. “Although it is quite certain his heart was not beating a moment ago.”

“Huh?” Aoi stared at the man, dumbstruck, then looked at the couple. “The fuck are you talking about?”

“We found you in the hallway. You were soaking wet, and weren't moving a muscle. Light said he couldn't hear your heartbeat.” Seven walked over, putting a massive hand on Aoi's shoulder. His eyes were piercing as he examined him. “You alright?”

Aoi shrugged, twitching the hand off as he stretched. “Been better, that's for sure. How long was I out?”

“You weren't just out, you were DEAD,” Lotus replied angrily. “You had no pulse, you weren't breathing--” She paused, and brushed at her eyes. He was surprised to see tears in them. Maybe she was an angry crier, it wouldn't make sense for her to be sad over him dying. “You _asshole_. What are you playing at? Where are the others you were with?”  
  
“I dunno. We were... separated.” His eyes passed over the room again. “So, this is some kinda high tech medical room or something?”  
  
“Yeah, seems like it,” Seven answered. Aoi was glad when his intense stare moved away from him. The large man turned to his silently fuming wife, raising his palms up in supplication. “Hazuki, he's not dead now, so we must've been mistaken. Maybe he was in a mini coma or something.” He paused. “Didn't that one lady say she was a nurse? We can bring her back here and have her look him over, make sure nothing's too wrong.”  
  
“No need,” Aoi interrupted. “I'm fine.” A shiver ripped through him, and he glanced at Light's raised eyebrows. “Eh, a little cold but that's it. I can manage it.”  
  
“Forgive me, I'd offer you my jacket as you kindly offered yours to Alice, but I'm quite certain it would not fit,” Light said with his serene smile. “Perhaps--”

He paused in mid-sentence, tilting his head. A split second later, a loud tolling began to ring through the room.

“It's the time we arranged to meet the others at,” Seven observed when the bells stopped, scratching the back of his neck as he looked at the ceiling. “Surprised we can still hear it out this way.”

“This is one hell of a weird building. So, we gonna head back?” Aoi said, standing up. He felt a little wobbly, as if he hadn't walked for a few days. He steadied himself on the partition.

Lotus was biting the side of her lip, her eyebrows firmly pressed downwards as she nodded. “It shouldn't take us long to get there, and then _you_ \--” she glared at Aoi-- “can answer to _all_ of us what you're doing, and where the others are.”  
  
“Yeah, whatever,” Aoi replied, hoping off the cot. “Let's go.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um, hi.   
> I know, it's pointless to apologize for being the worst updater, but I'm always struggling to do better! I need to stop letting blocks get the best of me. 
> 
> Anyways, I'm really excited with all the Zero Time Dilemma stuff coming out, and I can't wait to see how much it's going to conflict with this fic--actually, it SHOULDN'T, but we'll see, won't we? :) Thanks as always for your support!


	28. Luna, Dio, Clover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I didn't know you were a liar, too."

Dio opened one eye, peering out from under the brim of his hat. “You guys done yet?”  
  
“If you have any complaints, you're welcome to get up and look, too!” Clover glared at him. She was sitting at the table across the room from the sofa, flipping through a magazine. A small card fell out as she turned another glossy page, and her face took on an overly bright smile. “Oh, here's a third keycard!”

“Lemme see it,” he demanded, sitting up. Clover's grin flickered, but she quickly pasted it back on and walked over to him, holding out the card as far away from her as she could. She yanked her arm back as he grabbed the edge. Her discomfort was obvious. She'd have to think he was a complete idiot if she thought he wasn't noticing the change.

It was a strange card. One edge had a magnetic strip, like many card readers did, but the reverse side had an elaborate illustration on it. It was of a monster with large horns standing over a chained couple. There was a Roman numeral—fifteen--and a title underneath it. The Devil?

“How come this says fifteen if you've only found three?” He slid the card in his pocket. It couldn't hurt to keep this on him.  
  
“I'm sure everyone else has found a few, too! So when we meet them again, we'll have a full set. They're tarot cards, by the way. We have... the Devil, Temperance, and the Lovers!” Clover finished in a sing song voice. It was so fucking _irritating_.

“So what's a ta-roe, anyways? Some kinda game?” Dio asked, trying to aim his question at Luna. She'd been very quiet as she and Clover had shuffled around the room, other than to insist that he get more rest every time he tried to stand up. If she would at least say something occasionally, her gentle voice would break up the painful, endless shrillness of Clover's, and he might feel slightly less inclined to break the pink-haired girl's neck.  
  
“It's for fortunetelling,” Clover said, rolling her eyes. “You must've grown up under a rock.”

Dio was taken aback. How did she know Free the Soul's headquarters were under—oh, it was a saying. The girl continued, playing with the other two cards. “Anyways, I don't really know all the meanings or anything, but Lotus will. She knows all kinds of stuff like that. June might, too! Luna, are we ready to head back? It's gotta be around that time.”

“I think we've searched everywhere we can,” Luna said. She was standing next to the door on the wall perpendicular to the entrance, pressing on the edges. “It's very strange that this door won't open. It's almost as if it's not really a door at all, just a decoration.” She stood back, straightening her skirt as she regarded it. “It's very strange that we'd hit a dead end like this, especially when we've found those keycards. There's no reader or anything...”

Dio stood up. “Then let's go back already. See what everyone else has found.”

Luna nodded. Clover was first out the door.

Dio's head was feeling pretty clear as he followed the women back the path they'd taken. He knew they couldn't delay meeting with the other group, but his thoughts were racing. He had to prevent Clover from saying anything about what she'd found on him.

He was fairly sure he could keep the group's conversation steered towards their next steps, and eventually they'd split off again. Like on the Rhizome, he was willing to bet they'd try to go through the rooms that the others had explored to see if anything had been missed, especially if everyone else's routes had ended in dead ends like theirs. He'd use that time to get Clover alone, and he'd force her to open the safe. It seemed simple enough.

He felt certain that Clover wasn't going to blurt out what she'd found in the safe when he was within earshot—she was afraid of him now, and that would work to his advantage. She didn't know exactly what he was capable of, so she'd be extra careful—as she had tried to be in the Lounge—to avoid letting him know that he was on to her. He just had to make sure that she didn't get anyone—especially Sigma—alone. How could he do that?

A simple, cruel idea struck him.

The pink-haired girl would be completely powerless if he had a hostage.  
  
If she thought Luna was in danger, then Clover would _have_ to keep her mouth shut.  
  
The idea began to take form almost on its own. He wouldn't even have to openly threaten her, or even let Luna know what was going on—he'd just have to plant the idea in Clover's head that if she spoke up, Luna would suffer. He could probably pass that information on with simply a meaningful look, and let Clover's imagination do the rest. And then he'd just have to stick by Luna's side at all times.

It would make sense to everyone else that he'd stay near the kind woman, after all, she was the only one who treated him decently. Plus she was trained in medicine, and he'd obviously been sick. No one would really question it.

The bonus was, if Luna was near him, she _also_ couldn't tell anyone without him being aware. So he'd simply have to convince her that he needed her. An easy enough lie, right?

A wave of intense nausea came over him, and he faltered mid step. His right hand slammed onto the wall for balance.

“Dio! Are you okay?”

Luna was beside him in an instant. He glanced past her to the other woman. Clover had been several steps ahead of them, but now she turned back, fear apparent on her face.

He narrowed his eyes towards her. _I know_ , he thought. He had the strangest feeling that the other girl could hear it. Maybe there was something to that esper business she'd been bullshitting about.

The girl's eyes widened, and she opened her mouth, as if about to say something. His arm shot out and landed on Luna's outstretched one, as though accepting her offer of help. He didn't look away from Clover. The young girl's eyes began to water, and she turned away quickly.

She'd gotten the message.

But his hand was burning, feeling like he'd stuck it on a hot stove. As soon as Clover looked away he jerked it from Luna's, almost violently.

Luna gave a short gasp of surprise. Her eyes held an awful expression, and he avoided them. She'd just been trying to help. And he had used that kindness to manipulate things to his liking.

The nausea was worse. He hated the look on her face, but there was something he hated even more than that, something obvious and glaring. He wasn't sure what.

“Sorry,” he said, surprising himself as he pushed away from the wall to stand up straight. That wasn't a word he was familiar with saying. “It was just a--a dizzy spell, that's all. Don't worry about it. I'm fine.”

“Are you sure?”

His head jerked around to stare at her, shocked. _How did she..._

But this phrase was spoken completely without malice. Luna was simply gazing at him with concern.  
  
“Yeah,” he said gruffly, looking away from her. It was a coincidence. Just a coincidence. “I'm fine.”

He began to walk onward, swallowing back bile. He most definitely was not fine. Luna quietly followed.

Clover didn't say anything as they began to walk again. She only glanced back once. Her brow was slightly furrowed and her lip jutted out. Her eyes met his briefly. That simple glance confirmed it. She understood what he had been hinting at.

When they reached the set of fancy rooms, Luna stumbled suddenly, catching her toe on the plush carpet. Without even thinking, his arms reached out to break her fall.

She'd caught herself on the bedpost, and was standing up without any help needed. She hadn't even noticed his movement. He dropped his arms, feeling the illness intensify with nausea so sharp it was barely controllable. _What the fuck am I doing?_

“Sorry, I... I'm fine,” she said, smiling as she stood up fully. Her face was so pale, it almost seemed translucent. She was trembling slightly as she held onto her smile. “I just tripped a bit. Let's keep going.”

Clover frowned, then nodded, heading towards the door. Luna took a deep breath, steadying herself. She paused, then looked over at Dio. He hadn't moved.

His eyes were narrow as he stared at her, arms crossed.  
  
“I didn't know you were a liar, too.”  
  
The words had come out without warning. Her eyes had that awful expression again, then she lowered them and hurried into the other room.

Dio closed his eyes, pressing his hand against his forehead. How the fuck was he supposed to threaten her—the way he needed to—if he couldn't stop.... stop _worrying_ about her?

The thought had finally settled it. Why he felt so conflicted, why he was so ill. And what exactly he had begun to hate even more than that sad look in her eyes.

It was himself.

A rage ripped through him. How _dare_ he. How _dare_ he feel like that, betraying everything Free the Soul stood for? Equality meant no one was special. _No one_. She was disrupting his mission, and he was letting her. He was _disgusting_.

He inhaled deeply, trying to call to mind his mission, to remember his reason for even existing, tried to remember who he was.  He was Left, he was perfect, he was Brother's beloved family. He tried to hear the voices of his fellow Myrmidons, to think of Brother's teachings, _anything_ to remind him of who he was.  Who he _had_ to be.

He couldn't. With a sickening feeling, he finally knew why those words kept haunting him.

_Are you sure?_

No. He wasn't. He wasn't sure of anything.

He even didn't know who he was anymore.

Dio swallowed all of his thoughts and hurried after Luna and Clover. He had to stick with his plan. That was all there was to it. No more thoughts, just actions. He had to stop thinking about anything other than getting into that safe, getting the bombs, the orders from Brother. He had to  _STOP THINKING_. 

He didn't notice that Luna had dropped something when she fell. The tablet with her name on it lay on the floor.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A CHAPTER ONE DAY AFTER ANOTHER? IS THIS EVEN REAL LIFE????
> 
> If there are any mistakes, blame my fever, ok? I didn't proofread this as much as I usually do.


	29. A Small Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Together again--hey, wait a second... "

“Together again!” Junpei grinned as Lotus, Seven, Light and Aoi walked through the Air door back into the large staircase room. He moved his head to the side, looking like a puppy, as he regarded the group. “Hey, wait a second...”  
  
“Phi and Sigma got separated,” Aoi said shortly. He walked over to Akane, looking her up and down as though checking for injuries. He put his hands on her shoulders. “He try anything funny? Anything like asking about _frozen meat_?”  
  
Akane tilted her head, looking just like Junpei had a moment ago. “Um, no? What about frozen meat? If you found some, I didn't see a microwave, but I'm sure--”  
  
“What happened to Phi and Sigma?” Junpei questioned, stepping beside Akane to get Aoi's attention again. Lotus interrupted before the young man could answer.  
  
“We'll talk when the others get here. Anything new in this area?”   
  
“Um, didn't seem to be, but maybe you'll see something we didn't?” Junpei replied, lifting his arms in a shrug.   
  
“I find that quite unlikely, but I would like to examine the area anyways,” Light said with a smile.

Aoi snickered, and Junpei found himself blushing at his insensitive choice in words. “Y-you know what I meant!”  
  
Lotus and Seven nodded, and began to walk around the room. Light followed, his eyes closed as always, but Junpei could tell he was searching in his own mysterious way.   
  
“Uh, are you alright?” Alice asked, peering at Aoi. “You're kinda... soggy. If you um, need your jacket back... well, I guess... “ She blushed furiously as she stumbled for words.

Junpei found himself wondering what exactly was under the sport coat. If those see-through layers of fabric were anything to go by--

Aoi's sharp elbow in his side curtailed the thoughts. “She's a minor and Akane is right there, asshole.” He turned back to the young woman. “Naw, I'll be fine. I'm a tank.”

“Are you sure? You were always more prone to colds than me...” Akane asked, her lower lip twisted up in worry. Her brother gave her a firm look.

“Yeah, sis, I'm fine. Don't make her worry that she's bein' a pain or something. She's not.”

“Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean...” Akane turned back to Alice. “Well, I'm sure we'll find something better fitting for you at some point! My brother's much bigger than you are, after all.” She tapped her chin. “Maybe we just have to get creative. Oh! We could make you a toga from the sheets!”  
  
“Uh, no thanks...”

As the two girls chatted, Junpei noticed Aoi watching his sister with a strange expression. It was a heartbreaking look. He'd been so happy to see her before, what had happened? And really, why WAS he wet?  
  
At a loud click, the group looked over as the next door opened. Clover walked through, followed by Luna and Dio. The group all looked slightly grim, but Luna still smiled to greet them. The red-haired woman seemed to be such a sweetheart, kind of like a mom. Junpei couldn't help but like her.

“Ah, sorry if we're a bit late,” she said, looking a little worried, as if she thought she was about to be scolded. Junpei wondered who could ever yell at someone like Luna. Maybe that jerky Dio/Left/whatever guy? Hmm, maybe not—the man seemed to at least appreciate Luna's medical knowledge. At least, he seemed to be a lot nicer to her than the rest of them, so he knew not to get on her bad side—well, if she _had_ a bad side.

“Welcome back,” Light greeted the group. An expression of relief crossed Clover's face briefly, but she quickly turned from her brother to Alice.

“Oh! Alice! I brought you clothes!” Clover smiled at the other girl as she handed her a bag. Alice pulled an item out.   
  
“Oh wow, this is just my style. You're good!” the other girl said appreciatively as she held it up against her. “You guessed my size just right, too!”

“Fashion is a hobby of mine! I'm really into ko-gyaru right now, but I think I'm ready to try out gyaru--”

“You can get changed in the hospital room,” Akane offered. “I'll come, too!”  
  
“I'll uh, stay here,” Clover said. Her smile seemed strained to Junpei, but he wasn't sure why. “I want to catch up with my brother, after all!” She hurried over to where the rest of the group had gathered, and Junpei followed.  
  
“So other than Phi and Sigma, everyone's back.” Lotus scowled, tapping her foot. She'd changed clothes, Junpei realized, as had Seven—and the entire Water team, though Dio still had a dumb hat. All of their clothing really seemed to suit them—Clover was cute with a touch of sexy, Luna was conservative in beautiful colors, and Dio... okay, he didn't really care about Dio's fashion.

Lotus and Seven's clothes, though, were really strange. They were old fashioned, but Junpei certainly preferred them to Lotus' usual attire. Although the dress had a corset, her normally distracting assets remained covered. He wondered if he should compliment her, but thought better of it. Her expression said she was in no mood for pleasantries, especially if she rightfully suspected he wasn't a fan of her typical style. The woman let out an annoyed sigh.

“I suppose we can wait a bit longer for them.”

“They haven't come back yet? Um, Aoi? You were on their team--What happened?” Luna asked. Aoi's mouth twisted down, as if he didn't want to break the bad news to her.  
  
“We got separated when the room got flooded.”

“The room got flooded?” Junpei repeated, incredulous.   
  
“Yeah. I know. It's fuckin weird.” Aoi's frown deepened. “It doesn't make any sense, actually. Won't be surprised if you don't believe me.”  
  
The group waited until Clover and Akane rejoined them, then listened to Aoi explain what had happened to his team.

At the end of his story, no one was smiling. The group shifted awkwardly, looking around as if they'd just realized that the situation was more dangerous than they'd thought.  
  
“I hope they're okay.” Luna bit her lower lip, wrapping her arms around herself. She seemed exhausted. It had to be rough—she'd had a fight with Sigma right before they'd entered the rooms.

Junpei tried to give her a reassuring smile. “Hey, I'm su--”

He was interrupted.

“Cut me a break, that asshole's not gonna die or anything. He's too much of a pain in the ass, same as that harpy,” Dio scoffed, crossing his arms. “There's no way we're not gonna meet up with them again.”

Junpei wasn't really sure what logic the arrogant man was using to make that kind of conclusion. Then again, if being a pain in the ass granted one immortality, Dio would certainly know best.

Luna gave a soft smile, as if slightly reassured. “You're right. I'm sure we'll see them again! If they're together, they can conquer anything. They're a wonderful team.”

Junpei elected to defer to age, and turned to the married members of the group. “I don't think we should just wait. Do you think we should look for them?”   
  
Seven scratched his head, and Lotus frowned. “No. According to Aoi, they were swept away by a wave after the room flooded. It might be dangerous, if not outright impossible.”  
  
Junpei nodded, a piece finally clicking in his head. “Yeah, but... doesn't that seem familiar?”  
  
The dark-haired woman gave him a puzzled look, then her eyes widened. “It's repeating part of what we went through.”  
  
“Explain,” Dio demanded. Lotus shot him a withering glare. Junpei winced. If Dio knew what was good for him, that would be the last time he took attitude with Lotus. He remembered how she'd managed to best Seven a few times when their silly fights got physical during their Nonary Game. And then, she hadn't really been aiming to cause harm.  
  
Lotus began to explain anyways. Junpei supposed that glare was Dio's _one_ warning. He hoped for his sake that the man took it.   
  
“In our Nonary Game—let's just call it the second to be clear, okay?” The group nodded. “We were trapped on a ship. The ship began to flood, and if we didn't escape by our time limit, it would sink. At least, that's what we thought.” The woman began to pace slightly.  
  
“It was actually only a replica of the inside of the Gigantic, which was the Titanic's sister ship,” Junpei explained. “We were really in a building in Nevada.”  
  
“Whoa, back up a second. _Titanic_? _Nevada_? Are you making up words here?” Dio seemed to bite his tongue the second the words left his mouth. Everyone had turned to him with a strange look.

“I mean, uh, refresh my memory.” He laughed awkwardly.

Was this guy even human? Junpei wondered. He seemed to lack any idea of how to interact with people, like a poorly programmed robot. Even though the Titanic had been so long ago, Nevada was still a state, at least, last time he'd checked. How could Dio not know that?  Maybe he was European, even though he lacked an accent.  But hadn't the Titanic left from Europe?  
  
“The Titanic was a ship that sailed in 1912,” Luna was explaining. “At the time, it was the largest luxury liner of its kind, and was believed by many to be unsinkable because of its new design. Unfortunately, it hit an iceberg on its first voyage, and _did_ sink. Many lives were lost.”  
  
“Heh, that's pretty funny,” Dio said, smirking. Luna's forehead wrinkled in disapproval. The grin vanished quickly and he modified his statement. “I mean, not that people died, I guess. Just that they _thought_ they wouldn't. I mean—uh...” He gave up and closed his mouth.

Junpei was impressed. Luna's frown had silenced Dio where Lotus' glare had failed to have much effect on him at all. Maybe the blond was developing self-awareness. Junpei realized he was growing attached to the idea of Dio as a robot. Maybe he even had a hidden 'off' switch!  
  
“Can we please stay on the subject?” Alice interrupted Junpei's fantasy. She'd changed into a pair of black leggings and a loose, stylish white blouse over a dark blue tank top. She put her hand on her hip, and held out the other one in a questioning manner. “So what's up with the Gigantic?”

“The Titanic had two sister ships that were built to the same specifications. One was the Gigantic,” Light said, continuing the story. “It was used as a hospital ship during World War II, but was believed to be lost.”  
  
“But it wasn't,” Akane added, taking over. “A man who had survived the Titanic's sinking, Lord Gordain, was obsessed with everything Titanic. Since he couldn't raise the ship, he bought up every part of the Gigantic to create a full replica of it.”  
  
“And during the first Nonary Game, that replica ship was destroyed.” Seven stopped, glancing at Lotus, who had wrapped her arms around herself, looking at the floor. He put an arm around her waist. “Let's... leave it at that.”  
  
“What was the first--” Dio began, but Alice interrupted as if he hadn't even spoken. Her ice-cold dismissal of his very existence was impressive for her age.  
  
“So are we on another replica?”  
  
Akane shook her head. “I don't think so. There are too many weird features that are not from that time period and wouldn't fit in the construction. A pyramid certainly wouldn't fit inside a ship. Or an elementary school.” She put her hand on her chin, gazing up in thought. “So I think it's really likely that we're in a building like the ones you guys were in during the second, um, Nonary Game.”

Lotus' eyes narrowed, but Aoi spoke before she could go into another tirade of accusations towards Akane.

“Yeah, there's too much weird shit for it to be anything but a building constructed specifically for this shit. Nothing fits any real design. Like the metal hallways and those elevators,” Aoi said. “They look like something from the far future.”  
  
 _Future_... Junpei couldn't help but glance at the man he sort of genuinely suspected was a robot at that word. Dio was looking at Luna. He had an odd expression on his face, but said nothing. The woman was also silent, looking down and away from the group. _What the heck is up with those two_?   
  
“A building specifically built for us would explain the strange design choices,” Light said, his voice as calm as ever. “However, I do not understand how the walls and doors are moving.” He smiled, holding a hand up to his ear. “While you may not be expected to hear such things, especially while resting, I myself should be able to. And yet, I have not.”  
  
“I have a theory about that,” Lotus stated. The group turned towards her. She tapped her fingers on her elbows. “Have any of you heard about virtual reality?”

“Like the ones they use for games?” Aoi asked, his face wrinkled into a dubious expression. “You're not suggesting that we're in one of _those_. I mean, you KNOW when you're in one. They aren't THIS good, yet.” Junpei had to agree. He had also spent a fair amount of his teen years playing games, after all.

“Technology is always several years ahead of what's released to the public,” Lotus answered, bringing her hand to her chin in a thoughtful pose. “It could be a prototype, one so good that it can't be separated from the real world.” She paused, glancing at her husband. “And I certainly know a corporation with enough money to build something like that—and one that also has a strong interest in several of us.”

“There's no proof they're involved, so we'd better not get too far ahead of ourselves theorizin',” Seven said, shaking his head. “So far, all we got is theories. But I think this virtual reality one makes the most sense.”  
  
Clover wrapped her arms around her body and gave a slight shiver. “You mean our real bodies could be lying somewhere while we're trapped in a game? That's really creepy!' Alice nodded rapidly in agreement. “What if they're doing gross experiments on us while we're sleeping?”

“If that's the case, I don't think we're being harmed,” Lotus replied, shaking her head. “It wouldn't make sense to send us into this kind of world, which is clearly built around places we've been, just to mess with our physical bodies. If they wanted to, they could simply use an anesthetic like Soporil, and we would be helpless. Why bother with all this?” She waved her hand around.  
  
She had an excellent point. Junpei looked over to Aoi. He had been the one doing the heavy lifting for Akane's Nonary Game, and Soporil had played a big part into it. Junpei had been completely blacked out until he woke up, despite being carried from his apartment and hundreds of miles away.  
  
“I believe that whoever did this wants us to learn something, although what exactly has yet to be determined,” Light said. He suddenly paused, holding up a hand to silence the group. A smile crossed his face. “I believe that Phi and Sigma will be joining us shortly.”

A loud curse from the corner confirmed his theory before anyone could ask. “Oh, what the _fuck_!”  
  
Phi and Sigma appeared at the top of the staircase. She was shaking her head in annoyance. Her normally fluffy white hair was hanging around her face, and her long coat flapped heavily against her legs as she walked with wet slaps. Sigma didn't look much better.  
  
“Sigma!” Luna cried out in relief, stepping forward slightly, then stopping, as though she'd remembered their earlier argument. Dio made a face, _absolutely_ remembering the earlier argument. He glowered at the returning pair as everyone else greeted them with relief.

“Enjoy your swim? I sure didn't.” Aoi gave a sardonic grin, punching Sigma's huge arm lightly. The tall man shook his head.  
  
“Nope. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I, without a doubt, prefer swim _suits_ to swim _ming_.” He crossed his arms, giving Luna an awkward, brief glance. Phi sat down on a lower stair with a sigh, squeezing out a bit more water from her coat.  
  
“I'll skip both, thanks,” she said dryly.

“We found a room with lots of clothes, so we can get you dry ones. I'm really glad you're okay!” Clover said, smiling pleasantly. Sigma nodded.  
  
“I mean, it's a shitty situation, but I'm happy you--”  
  
“I was talking to Phi, you pervert!” Clover stuck her tongue out at his hurt face. She turned back to the small woman. “Hmm, you seem to have a really mature style, let me think what would be good...”  
  
“Did you guys come from the pyramid?” Alice interrupted before Sigma could continue the argument.

Phi shook her head. Alice's face fell. “So that part's changed, too. But the room I changed clothes in was the same.” She sat down on a stair with a heavy sigh. “Ugh, my head hurts.”  
  
“No one can blame you for that. So, you wanna fill us in on what you found, and we'll let you know about what we found?”  
  
“That's a good idea,” Junpei said. Several people sat down on the stairs, and the group began to discuss what they had experienced.  
  


 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh, man. If you've stuck with me this long, you're something amazing, you know that? Sorry for taking so long to update! I got caught up in ZTD hype and then kind of lost inspiration to write for a while. Not because ZTD interferes with what I planned to happen (unfortunately) but just me issues. I'm really bad at handling stress and even the slightest thought that I might disappoint people or fail to write well REALLY stresses me out! So of course, I handle that by... not doing anything. I'm great at problem-solving, right? ;)
> 
> BUT! I'm back, and this is where I put my usual determination to get better at updating regularly! We'll see, I guess.
> 
> And hey, it's not much longer until the end of this story and I can finally be free! :D I've learned a lot from writing this, especially that having many characters and many chapters is a Terrible Mistake Don't Do It. Please feel free to message me for more insights, or follow me on twitter at feytaline!
> 
> Thank you again and I hope you're having a good holiday season!


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